KUALA KRAI: Several villages in the Kuala Krai and Tanah Merah districts have been hit by floods at around noon Sunday (Dec 29) following an overnight downpour.
Kuala Krai Civil Defence officer Capt Abd Fatah Abd Aziz said the affected villages in Kuala Krai are Kampung Bedal, Kampung Chenulang, and Kampung Tanjung Kala.
He said that by 1pm, water levels had risen between 1.5m to 2m in low-lying areas, disrupting main road access due to strong currents.
"We've deployed our personnel to monitor the flood-prone hotspots,” he said, noting that temporary relief centres (PPS) are on standby and will be activated if necessary.
In Tanah Merah, OCPD Supt Mohd Haki Hasbullah confirmed the onset of flooding.
"We're fully prepared and have already surveyed the affected areas, including Kampung Batu Gajah,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Malay language daily Sinar Harian reported that four relief centres had been opened in Tanah Merah to house 43 evacuees from 14 families.
A Bernama survey discovered that several villages in the district, such as Kampung Batu Sembilan, Kampung Batang Merbau, and Kampung Lawang, had also been impacted by the floods.
Low-lying roads in Kampung Kelewek, Kampung Bendang Nyior, and Kampung Batu Lapan were also affected.
Water levels started rising at around 7am on Sunday after heavy rain that began at 7pm the previous night.
On Thursday (Dec 26), the Irrigation and Drainage Department predicted the possibility of floods in nine districts across Kelantan within three days starting Saturday (Dec 28).
The department identified the districts at risk to include Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Baru, Pasir Puteh, Bachok, Tanah Merah, Machang, Kuala Krai, and Jeli. – Bernama
