The Star 9 Nov 12;
KUALA LUMPUR: Residents in Negri Sembilan have are the latest to get hit by floods in the peninsula while the situation in flood-hit Johor and Malacca has taken a turn for the worse.
However, the flood situation was reported to be improving in Selangor and Perak.
In Negri Sembilan, Kampung Keru Hilir in Tampin was flooded by up to one metre following incessant heavy rain overnight and forced 34 people from nine families living there to evacuate.
Tampin Land Office deputy administrator Mohd Amin Ludin said the victims were being sheltered at the kampung's surau and that all necessary assistance was being rendered.
According to the National Security Council's flood portal, in Johor, the number of flood victims had increased from 767 people to 1,095 people overnight.
It said four more relief centres had to be opened in the state, two each in Johor Baharu and Kulai Jaya.
Six relief centres in Batu Pahat and one in Ledang are already in operation in Johor.
In Malacca, the number of victims more than doubled overnight, from 61 people to 134 people.
The victims are all in Jasin and are being sheltered in one relief centre.
In Selangor, the number of food victims dropped from 1,012 people last night to 983 people this morning.
All the victims are sheltered at four relief centres in Kuala Langat while three relief centres in Dengkil have been closed and the victims housed there allowed to return to their homes.
In Perak, the number of victims dropped to 134 people from 177 people Thursday night with just one relief centre still operating in Hilir Perak.
So far, no casualty has been reported since floods broke out in the peninsula since six days ago and neither has there been closure of any road.
Meanwhile, the Drainage and Irrigation Department said the water levels at major rivers in Selangor, Johor and Pahang were still above the warning level.
The level of Sungai Langat at Bukit Changgang, Selangor is now at 3.83 metres; Sungai Selangor at Rantau Panjang (7.45m), Sungai Lenik at Batu Pahat, Johor (5.32m) and the Repas Dam in Bentong, Pahang (113.67m).
The department also issued a flood warning for Selangau in Sarawak following the water level at Sungai Selangau B exceeding the danger level of 17.92 metres. - Bernama
Heavy rainfall expected over next six days
Up to 2,000 evacuated in past week because of flooding in five states
Yong Yen Nie Straits Times 10 Nov 12;
KUALA LUMPUR - If you are planning to drive to Malaysia for a break this weekend, be sure to slow down a little and take along an umbrella and raincoat.
The forecast for this weekend is more rain, which may keep some already flooded areas on the outskirts of Johor, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan inundated, and most other parts of the country wet.
So far, the number of Malaysians who are affected by floods is still low, and major tourist destinations such as the Malacca heritage town area remain accessible.
Nevertheless, the Meteorological Department expects thunderstorms to continue around the country for the next six days as the north-east monsoon season begins.
The monsoon occurs between November and March each year. However, the Met said continuous heavy monsoon rains, which last more than two days at a stretch, have not begun.
"For Malacca and Penang, we expect frequent thunderstorms to occur in the afternoon or early evening," an official from the Met told The Straits Times.
"Continued heavy rain for one hour or more can lead to flash-flooding occurrences, especially in low-lying areas."
According to the department, evening thunderstorms are also expected to hit all parts of Johor - including Mersing and Johor Baru - as well as Kuala Lumpur from today until next Thursday. However, no road closures were reported.
Meanwhile, morning rain is expected in the states of Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu.
In the past week, some 2,000 Malaysians were evacuated because of floods in five states - Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Perak and Selangor.
However, some victims in Perak and Selangor returned home yesterday, leaving only 1,700 in evacuation centres.
Four more evacuation centres were opened in Johor yesterday, including two in Johor Baru, to accommodate more flood victims, Ms Khatijah Abdullah, a temporary relief centre officer, told The Straits Times.
The number of flood victims in Johor rose to 1,095 overnight from 767 on Thursday.
Meanwhile, 12 evacuation centres were closed yesterday in areas where waters had receded.
In Malacca, only one evacuation centre is operating in Jasin, with 134 flood victims.
Despite the continuous rain, relief officers said the flooding is not as bad as anticipated.
"We are able to keep the pace of helping flood victims evacuate and allow many to go home as soon as the waters have receded," Mr Abdul Hadi Hamzah, an officer in Selangor, said.
Malaysia faced its worst flood crisis in 2006, after experiencing unusually heavy rainfall due to Typhoon Utor that hit the Philippines and Vietnam. The floods wiped out farms and caused some 100,000 people in Johor to be evacuated.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the National Disaster Management Committee chairman, said all agencies and emergency units are on standby to assist flood victims.
"We are ready. The relief centres are ready and there is a stockpile of food for flood victims," he said on Thursday.
The Met expects floods to get worse in the coming months as thunderstorms are expected to continue until March.
So far, tourists appear unperturbed.
Mr Joseph Lim, sales coordinator of Mahkota Hotel in Malacca, said bookings for hotel rooms are still brisk.
"We have recorded up to 80 per cent occupancy rate for this weekend, with the higher number of travellers arriving from Singapore due to the Deepavali holiday," he said.
