Malaysia floods: Orange-alert warning for Pahang, Terengganu lifted

LEVEL YELLOW: But rains will not stop and floods can still occur
New Straits Times 9 Dec 13;

THE orange-alert warning issued by the Meteorological Department in several parts of Pahang and Terengganu was lifted yesterday as the situation in flood-hit areas improved.

Its central forecast division director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said the warning was changed to yellow at 9am.

"Heavy rains subsided in Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang but it will take some time, at least another two or three days, for the water levels to go down."

Helmi said despite the change, people should still take the necessary precautions.

"These warnings are only based on rainfall patterns and not on the level of flooding," he said, adding residents could expect intermittent rain for the next few days.

"There will be no more episodes of heavy rain. Only moderate rain will persist this week, which may still cause floods in low-lying areas."

On Tuesday, the department issued a Level 2 orange warning for five areas in Pahang and Terengganu.

National Security Council secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab assured there was adequate supply of food for evacuees.

"The situation is under control and the supply of food and essential items at relief centres will last for at least three to five days," he said, acknowledging that there had been an initial delay in the supply of food to several relief centres.

Thajudeen attributed this to a sudden and unforeseen rise in the number of evacuees as well as the disruption of transport facilities because of floodwaters cutting off roads.

"Two teams were deployed in Kemaman and Pahang, and another 10 are on standby if the need arises."

He said the council was cooperating with the police, Fire and Rescue Department, district office and other agencies to ensure flood relief operations were carried effectively,
"All the necessary equipment for rescue operations, such as four-wheel-drive vehicles, ambulances, helicopters and boats, are ready to move out any time."

The number of evacuees in the east coast decreased yesterday as flood waters abated. As of 8pm, there were 35,502 displaced people in Pahang, 22,617 in Terengganu and 226 in Kelantan.

Mercy Malaysia corporate communications manager Eyasmin Hameed said the organisation had set up a mobile clinic and distributed 1,000 hygiene kits to flood victims in Kuantan.

She said the mobile clinic was set up at Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi Mara on Thursday while the hygiene kits were distributed in collaboration with St John Ambulance Malaysia.

"We gave one hygiene kit for each family. Each kit accommodates the needs of five individuals and contains toiletries, combs, five slippers, nail-clippers and underwear for adults and children."

Eyasmin said Mercy Malaysia was also educating evacuees on the importance of cleanliness to avoid water-borne diseases from spreading.

Tenaga Nasional Bhd said yesterday it had restored power supply to all flood-affected areas as of 11am yesterday.

The situation in Johor improved yesterday because of good weather. Only 635 people were left at nine centres last night compared with 1,024 earlier in the afternoon.

Sunny weather brings relief to Johoreans as flood situation improves
Kathleen Ann Kili The Star 9 Dec 13;

JOHOR BARU: The flood situation in the state has improved with fewer than a thousand victims seeking shelter at nine flood relief centres as at 7am Monday.

A spokesman from the Johor flood operations centre said the number of victims dropped from 1,024 people on Sunday to 602 Monday.

He added that 125 families were still seeking shelter at a total of nine relief centres in three affected districts here, including Segamat, Pontian and Batu Pahat.

"Segamat recorded the highest number of victims with 484 people from 121 families evacuated to seven centres within the district," he said when contacted.

The other two relief centres were sheltering a total of 63 victims from 18 families and 55 victims from 12 families at Batu Pahat and Pontian respectively.

"We believe that the centres in Batu Pahat and Pontian can be shut down today (Monday) if the weather continues to be sunny there," he said.

He said that roads in between Segamat and Gambang was still closed due to floods.

He also assured that the State Welfare Department had sufficient food and water supplies besides other essential items to hand out to the victims.

Johor flood situation improves, roads reopened
Yee Xiang Yun The Star 8 Dec 13;

JOHOR BARU: The flood situation in Johor has improved and previously closed and sectioned roads have been reopened and are accessible by all types of vehicles.

As of 5pm Sunday, the Johor flood operations centre recorded a total of 1,024 from 274 families from three districts seeking relief at evacuation centres.

Victims still seeking shelter at 17 centres in the state include 489 evacuees from 122 families in Segamat, 414 victims from 110 families in Pontian and 121 victims from 42 families in Batu Pahat.

Centres in other previously affected districts like Ledang, Kota Tinggi, Kluang, Kulaijaya, Mersing and Muar have since closed down as flood waters receded.