sharanpal singh randhawa The Star 24 Sep 17;
ALOR SETAR: Flood waters in Kedah and Perlis are expected to recede after the high tide phenomenon ends on Monday, said Civil Defence Force director-general Datuk Azmy Yahya.
He said that although the number of evacuees currently at relief centres in Kedah and Perlis was rising, flood waters in both states were already receding.
"They are, however, receding at a slow pace due to the high tide phenomenon. But we forecast that the flood situation will improve after the high tide phenomenon ends on Monday.
"The number of victims has been increasing due to the flow of flood water from upstream, passing through low-lying areas before flowing out to the sea," he told a press conference after his visit to the SK Titi Gajah relief centre, adding that some evacuees were those affected by the floods while others were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
The SK Titi Gajah relief centre currently accommodates 228 victims from 67 families.
Azmy added that weather conditions over the past two days had improved.
"Some of the evacuation centres in both states have been closed. However, they will be made operational if the need arises.
"Our men are on standby around the clock and currently we have 400 men in Kedah and 300 in Perlis, with thousands more volunteers on standby," he said.
As of 8am Sunday, Perlis and Kedah recorded a total 4,443 victims from 1,325 families, placed at 37 relief centres.
