November 16, 2009 19:14 PM

Floods In Kedah Worsen

ALOR SETAR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- The number of flood victims evacuated in Kedah rose to 1,793 up from 1,338 Sunday evening, said a state floods operation room spokesman.

Bandar Bharu and Baling districts were the new districts hit by floods and 300 people from 69 families were moved to flood evacuation centres.

"In the Bandar Bharu district, 280 people from 61 families were moved to four centres while in Baling 20 victims from eight families were still at one evacuation centre," he said.

The Kota Setar district registered the highest number of victims at 641 people from 185 families and they were housed at six centres while the Kubang Pasu district charted 474 people from 119 families who were moved to six evacuation centres.

"In Pokok Sena, 349 people from 77 families were moved to the three centres of Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Hijau, Surau Kampung Permatang Limau and Dewan Kubang Keriang," he told Bernama here Monday.

He said the readings of two rivers in Kota Setar exceeded danger levels with Sungai Kepala Batas registering 4.13m (danger level 3.8m) and Sungai Pantai Johor registering 2.47m (danger level 2m).

Meanwhile, observation by Bernama at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Gunong evacuation centre here saw that the number of flood victims was increasing.

According to the Kota Setar district community welfare assistant officer, Nurul Hafizah Yahya, the centre was reopened on Nov 14 after being closed for two days earlier.

"We are continously monitoring and are ready to receive more flood victims due to the continous rain," she said.

"The victims here are from 11 villages, among them Kampung Alor Gunong, Kampung Seberang Pumpong, Kampung Jalan Pondok Tanjung Bedil and Kampung Sungai Baru," she said.

A victim from Kampung Seberang Pumpong, Samsiah Husin, 73, said she was evacuated twice in one week.

"I was allowed to return three days ago but could not clean my house as water rose again," she said.

--BERNAMA

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