Malaysia: One dead, two missing as flood situation worsens

The Star 6 Dec 13

KUALA LUMPUR: The flood situation in the east coast states has worsened with more being evacuated, one death from drowning and two people reported missing in Pahang.

Kemaman in Terengganu, meanwhile, has become virtually an island after being cut off in all directions.

A spokesman for the flood operations room at the Pahang police contingent headquarters said Mohamed Alif Khalid, 21, was found drowned at 4.15pm on Wednesday after he had gone fishing alone at Sungai Kampung Sepial in Kuala Tembeling, Jerantut.

Pekan Umno division committee member Jamali Jani, 45, and his son Megat Mohd Nazli Jamali, 17, are believed to be missing after they fell into the floodwaters in Sungai Isap village at about 7.30pm yesterday.

They were said to be removing some belongings from their submerged house into a fibreglass boat when they fell into the floodwaters. A search operation has been mounted.

In Terengganu, the state Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) reported that the water level in most of the main rivers in Terengganu this morning was at the danger level.

Kemaman was one of the worst-hit areas with power and roads all cut off.

A road over a tidal gate in Bandar Chukai has sunk and was cut into two due to the rapid flow of floodwaters, while vehicles were seen submerged in many areas.

The flood situation in Kelantan has worsened and more people are being evacuated.

A state flood operations centre spokesman said the affected districts were Kuala Krai, Machang, Pasir Puteh, Tanah Merah and Pasir Mas.

The spokesman also said that the Meteorological Department’s prediction of continuous rain over the next few days was expected to affect more districts.

In Johor, state police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said all district OCPDs were ordered to station mobile police stations near flood relief centres to make it convenient for evacuees to seek help in the event of mishaps.

Meanwhile, 246 electricity substations in Terengganu have ceased operations, up from 141 the previous day, affecting 11,034 consumers as at noon yesterday.

Floods: East coast situation worsening
The Star 6 Dec 13;

KUALA LUMPUR: The flood situation in the east coast of the peninsula has worsened with the number of victims evacuated to the relief centres reaching 42,626 Friday from 37,136 Thursday night.

Pahang was the worst affected during this monsoon season, with 34,235 evacuees still at the relief centres in eight districts, namely Kuantan, Pekan, Rompin, Maran, Jerantut, Lipis, Temerloh and Bera as at 9am.

A spokeman for the flood operations room at the state police contingent headquarters said several main roads were still closed to traffic after they were inundated up to more than a metre, among them at KM28 Jalan Sungai Lembing-Kuantan, KM72 Jalan Kuantan-Segamat and KM62 Jalan Kuantan-Rompin.

"Kuantan still records the highest number of evacuees with 27,391 housed at 48 relief centres," he said.

In Rompin, 2,865 flood victims were at 14 relief centres, Pekan 3,218 at 18 centres, Maran 49 (six), Jerantut 451 (11), Lipis 33 (two), Temerloh 167 (five) and Bera 61 (five).

In Kelantan, the number of flood evacuees in six districts rose to a total of 2,339 at 9am from 2,078, according to the state government's official portal.

In Rantau Panjang, the number of evacuees reached 1,345, and they were housed at 10 relief centres, while in Kuala Krai the 506 evacuees are placed at five relief centres. However, the number was expected to drop with the improving weather.

In Tanah Merah, the 222 evacuees were at 10 relief centres, the 219 in Pasir Puteh at three relief centres and eight in Tumpat at one relief centre.

With improved weather since Thursday, the water levels in several rivers were subsiding, but the water level in Sungai Golok at Rantau Panjang is at 10.34m, above the danger level of nine metres.

No main road has been closed to traffic and no loss of lives reported so far due to the floods while the weather now is clear.

In Terengganu, the number of flood victims remained at 6,052 from 1,559 families since Thursday night.

According to the National Security Council's portal, the affected areas in Terengganu were Kemaman, Dungun, Setiu, Marang and Hulu Terengganu.

As at 8am, Kemaman recorded 2,372 flood evacuees from 595 families, Dungun 2,668 (670 families), Hulu Terengganu 844 (242 families), Setiu 99 (32 families) and Marang 63 (18 families).

The 82 flood relief centres still operating comprise 31 in Kemaman, 29 in Dungun, 13 in Hulu Terengganu and four each in Marang and Setiu. - Bernama