237 Klang residents evacuated over flood concerns

PORT KLANG: Fear of floods during the extra high tide due to the recent supermoon has forced 237 people into two evacuation centres here.

Klang Fire and Rescue Depart­ment headquarters zone chief Amerhaizal Sahak said the 68 families from Kampung Tok Muda and Mile 5 Jalan Kapar volunteered to leave their homes over worries of flood bunds giving way.

Water levels in Kampung Tok Muda rose to 5.5m but not above the bunds, he said.

Firemen had earlier reinforced the bunds with sandbags near a fishing jetty to prevent flooding.

Some river water did flow over bunds near the Mile 5 Jalan Kapar stretch, Amerhaizal added, but not enough to cause flooding.

Selangor Health, Welfare, Women and Family Affairs exco committee chairman Dr Daroyah Alwi said meals and health checks would be provided to the families being housed in two multipurpose halls in the north Klang district.

Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim assured the public of ample stocks of fish despite fishermen not being able to go out to sea.

The National Fishermen’s Assoc­iation had been asked to release frozen stocks to meet consumer demands throughout the country, he said.

“In doing so, we will be able to ensure that prices of fish are stable and the supply is adequate.”

Frozen stock are fish caught and kept in cold storage to ensure food security.

Dr Irmohizam added that LKIM had advised fishermen not to go to sea until Nov 18, when the extra high tide phenomenon ends.