Floods Yet To Abate Significantly

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- The floods that hit the states of Pahang, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak have yet to abate to an overall satisfactory level as of 11am Wednesday. Sarawak still recorded the highest number of flood victims with a State flood operations room spokesman reporting that 3,999 people remained sheltered at 20 relief centres. He said Samarahan had the highest number of evacuees at 3,123 people from 743 families followed by Kuching (168 families/648 people), Sibu (30/128) and Sri Aman (32/100). He told Bernama that there were indications that the water levels of the rivers responsible for the floods would drop but the authorities were only allowing evacuees to return to their homes on a case by case basis as it was feared king tides in the evening could cause the situation to deteriorate again. The floods in low-lying areas in Sarawak have been attributed to the incessant heavy rain the last four days coupled with king tides at its major waterways. In southern state of Johor, the situation improved slightly with 1,075 victims still housed at shelters this morning as compared to 1,177 Tuesday night. The National Security Council's portal said they were sheltered at 17 relief centres, eight in Segamat, six in Mersing and three in Batu Pahat. The Drainage and Irrigation Department's website also reported that the water levels of two rivers in Muar were recorded at 3.23 metres and 9.49 metres respectively at 10am Wednesday, both above the danger mark. It was the same situation at four other rivers, with the level of Sungai Bekok at the Bekok Dam, Batu Pahat at 17.24 metres, Sungai Senggarang at Senggarang, Batu Pahat (3.25 metres), Sungai Simpang Kiri at Seri Medan, Batu Pahat (2.05 metres) and Sungai Muar at Kampung Awat, Segamat (19.37 metres). In east coast state of Pahang, the situation was better in flood-hit Rompin with only 67 victims from 17 familes still at shelters this morning as compared to 567 people Tuesday night. A spokesman at the Pahang police headquarters flood operations room in Kuantan said only two relief centres remained open in the district with the Teluk Gading public hall housing 52 victims while the Kampung Gadak public hall the rest. "They cannot go home as yet because their villages along the mouth of Sungai Pahang are at risk of the high tide phenomenon," he said, adding that among the affected villages were Kampung Mentara, Kampung Sarang Tiong and Kampung Gadak. In Sandakan in East Malaysia state of Sabah, more flood victims in Kampung Gum-Gum have been allowed to return to their homes and only 57 people remained in shelters this morning compared to 351 evacuees Tuesday night. It was also reported that floodwaters had now also spilled into Kampung Pinampadan in the sub-district of Paitan but no evacuation had taken place as yet. The residents of Kampung Tangkarason, Tanjung Nipis, Maidan, Lingkabau and Simpangan in the area have also been placed on alert to be evacuated should the situation worsen. Meanwhile, Km2.7 Jalan Off SPSP 1 Beluran still remained closed to light traffic and the public is advised to use Km6.3 Jalan Off SPSI as an alternative. -- BERNAMA Malaysia