KUANTAN • Continuous rain over two days has worsened the flood situation in several Malaysian states, and heavy rain is expected to continue over the weekend.
In Pahang, the authorities have been forced to open another evacuation centre in Rompin as the number of flood victims in the state increased to 357, compared with 318 the night before, after 39 people moved to the centre at Leban Chondong community hall.
Pahang Civil Defence Force director Zainal Yusof told Bernama news agency that 64 people were still at an evacuation centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Tekek in Pulau Tioman. In Pekan, 254 victims remained at five centres due to stagnant flood waters. The number of flood victims in Segamat and Mersing, in Johor, also increased to 118 compared with 95 the day before. Johor Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Ayub Rahmat said 28 people from seven families have been moved to the evacuation centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Air Papan in Mersing.
Another 34 from eight families were being sheltered at Balai Raya Kampung Tenglu, he said, adding that a lane in Jalan Telok Arong in the same district has been closed to traffic due to a landslide, but sections of the road were still accessible.
In Segamat, 46 people from 14 families are at Balairaya Gemereh, Balai Badang, while another 10 from two families are at Balairaya Kampung Pogoh Tengah.
In Sabah, rising water levels of the main river in Pitas district forced 10 people to remain at the evacuation centre at Kampung Sinukab Kinabongan. The Malaysian Civil Defence Force said two villages - Kampung Kabatasan Laut and Kampung Masin Besar Kanibongan - were still flooded.
Meanwhile, heavy rain was expected to continue in several areas in Johor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Terengganu and Sarawak yesterday. The Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued a severe weather warning for several areas in Johor and Pahang.
"Heavy rain is expected to continue in Johor (Segamat, Kluang, Mersing, Kota Tinggi, Johor Baru and Kulai) and Pahang (Rompin, Pekan and Kuantan) today," it said in a statement yesterday.
The department has also issued a weather warning alert for Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, several areas in Johor including Tangkak, Muar, Batu Pahat and Pontian, and several areas in Pahang including Bentong, Temerloh, Maran, Bera and Jerantut.
Heavy rain is expected to hit Dungun and Kemaman in Terengganu and parts of Sarawak, including Samarahan, Serian, Sri Aman, Betong, Sibu, Sarikei and Mukah.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
