THE flood situation in the eastern states of the Malaysian peninsula has worsened with more victims placed in relief centres last night.
There have been three deaths since the floods began on November 21.
A boy perished in Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, while two girls lost their lives at Rantau Panjang.
In the latter incident, an 11-year-old girl drowned, while another went missing after both fell into floodwaters in Kampung Petai Dusun near Rantau Panjang town.
Based on the Drainage and Irrigation Department’s (DID) flood updates, the river water level at 15 main stations in Terengganu had exceeded the danger level while five stations exceeded the warning level as of 9.30 pm.
The affected rivers which were causing severe flooding included Sg Besut in Besut district (37.56m), Sg Nerus in Setiu (21.24m), Sg Berang (25.33m), Sg Peneh (38.57 m), and Sg Tersat (23.00 m).
The Sg Dungun in Dungun district registered a level of 38.88 m at Kampung Pasir Raja, and Sg Tebak recorded a level of 18.77m at Kemaman.
There was a similar situation in Kelantan where the water levels of four main rivers, namely Sg Kelantan and Sg Nal in Kuala Krai, Sg Golok in Tanah Merah, as well as Sg Golok in Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas were at dangerous levels.
Further south in Pahang, the water levels of Sg Jelai in Bukit Betong, Lipis; Sg Luit in Kampung Subuh, Maran; and Sg Keratong in Jalan Kota Bahagia, Rompin, had passed the danger level as of 9.30 pm.
The water levels of numerous other rivers exceeded alert levels, and several roads were forced to be closed due to floods and landslides.
Meanwhile, the two girls at Rantau Panjang were playing in the floodwaters when they slipped and were swept away by the currents, Bernama reported.
Pasir Mas district deputy police chief Supt Nik Aminuddin Raja Abdullah said they received an emergency call about the incident at 6.39 pm on Sunday.
“Siti Aisyah Mazi was rescued by members of the public, but the girl was later pronounced dead while being treated at Tanah Merah Hospital yesterday (Sunday),” he said in a statement.
The search operation to locate Siti Aisyah’s friend Nur Damia Qaisara Mohd Sabre, 11, was still underway.
The police have advised parents to always keep an eye on their children and not let them play in floodwaters unsupervised.
They also reminded the public, especially youths with motorcycles, not to go to flooded places for fun or thrills as they may be courting danger.
The fatalities happened as the third wave of flooding in Terengganu got worse and the number of victims placed at relief centres in six districts almost doubled to 4,294 people from 1,147 families as of 8pm.
Dungun was the most affected district with 1,242 victims from 326 families placed in 20 relief centres.
In Kelantan, the number of flood victims increased to 9,721 people as of 8 pm.
According to the Kelantan State Disaster Management Secretariat (JPBN), a total of 65 relief centres were opened involving six districts in the state, namely Kuala Krai, Tanah Merah, Pasir Mas, Gua Musang, Machang and Jeli.
The number of victims in Pahang also rose with 600 individuals from 141 families placed in 13 relief centres.
Southern Thai provinces also hit
The heavy rains did not spare people in the Malay Peninsula across the northern border in Thailand.
Severe floods happened in the provinces of Narathiwat and Yala, affecting 9,697 households, Bernama reported.
The Thai Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation announced that nine districts were impacted in Narathiwat and four districts in Yala.
The Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office coordinated with the local governments to deploy teams to flooded areas, working to improve drainage, provide aid to those affected, and conducting surveys of damage and compensation.
Meanwhile, Narathiwat Governor Trakul Totham reported that three rivers in Narathiwat — Sg Golok, Sg Sai Buri, and Bang Nara — had overflowed.
“The floodwaters have stalled traffic, leaving motorists stranded and disrupting public transportation.
“Rangae, Yingo, and Rueso in Narathiwat province were the worst hit by the floods, with homes and agricultural land submerged, roads impassable, and hundreds of residents displaced,” he said.
The State Railway of Thailand announced that 14 train services to and from Sungai Kolok station came to a halt due to flooding.
“The Yala-Sungai Kolok railway line will remain closed until the floodwaters recede and track repairs are completed. For passengers affected by the closure, bus services are available between Yala and Sungai Kolok,” it said.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin instructed the MInistry of Interior to oversee the flood relief efforts in these provinces. He urged people in affected areas to take immediate precautions and evacuate to safety. – The Vibes, December 26, 2023
