1,200 evacuated in Perlis floods

KANGAR: Floods in Perlis have displaced 1,200 people from 365 families, who are now staying at 16 evacuation centres.

Perlis Disaster Management Committee spokesman Mohd Farid Ishak said the centres were located in Arau (five), Kangar (five) and six in Padang Besar.

Many places were submerged in knee-deep water after intermittent rains throughout the day yesterday.

Among the worst-hit areas were Titi Tinggi, Beseri, Chuping, Mata Ayer and Santan in Padang Besar.

Other places affected were Bintong, Sena, Indera Kayangan, Kuala Perlis and Kayang in Kangar and Pauh, Tambun Tulang, Guar Sanji, Simpang Empat, Sanglang and Pekan Arau in Arau.

Housewife Roslaini Ibrahim, 41, said her house at Kampung Jarak in Bintong had been inundated by flash floods twice this month.

“I expect the situation to get worse if the rain continues,” she said.

Flood victim Norzamlan Abu Seman cleaning fish that he caught on a flooded road in Taman Seri Lancang in Mata Ayer, Perlis. — Bernama

Self-employed Fikry Izwan Abdul Rahman, 23, said his village in Kampung Tebing Tinggi was flooded on Thursday.

“The water rose to a metre deep in an hour. My family was evacuated to SK Bintong,” he said.

He said his village had been flooded more than 10 times after a bridge in his village was built.

“I hope the authorities will look into this as my village had never been flooded before the bridge was built,” he added.

Yesterday, two rivers – Sungai Jarum and Sungai Repoh – were at danger levels of 34.07m and 5.22m respectively.

The warning signal was raised for three rivers – Sungai Chuchoh (37.86m), Sungai Kampung Bakau (3.26m) and Sungai Pelarit (38.67m).

In Kedah, 149 families comprising 669 people were evacuated to five relief centres in Kuala Muda, Kota Setar and Kubang Pasu.