November 18, 2009 20:53 PM

Perak Raja Muda Visits Flood Evacuees

BAGAN SERAI, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, Wednesday visited 254 flood evacuees at the relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Alor Pongsu here.

He spent about one hour with the evacuees, from 111 families, who had been at the school for a week after floods hit Kampung Matang Pasir, Kampung Parit Simpang 4 and Kampung Parit Simpang 5, with the waters rising to between one and three metres following heavy rain.

Raja Dr Nazrin Shah was accompanied by Perak Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and senior state government officers.

Prior to going to the relief centre, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah was given an update on the flood situation by Kerian police chief Supt Mat Fuzi Nayan and Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) district engineer Hidrazmi Shamsul Anwar at the Alor Pongsu penghulu's office.

Raja Dr Nazrin Shah also visited the flood-hit areas in Alor Pongsu.

The evacuees at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Alor Pongsu are among 1,142 people from 11 villages accommodated at eight relief centres in Kerian.

Meanwhile, the road linking Alor Pongsu town to Selama is flooded from the Km13 to the Km17 and is closed to all traffic.

In IPOH later, Dr Zambry asked the DID and the Public Works Department (JKR) to find a permanent solution to the flood problem in the Kerian district.

He said the floods in Bagan Serai, Parit Buntar and Alor Pongsu were caused by Sungai Beriah bursting its banks.

As an initial measure, the state government has allocated RM4.9 million to build bunds in the area before working on a permanent solution, he told reporters.

Dr Zambry also said that the state government was recording the number of people affected by floods to facilitate distribution of aid, and that the list now had more than 1,600 names.

He said the state government would announce the form of aid soon.

-- BERNAMA

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