November 23, 2009 23:47 PM

Rantau Panjang Comes To A Standstill

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- The second wave of flooding in the east coast state of Kelantan has taken quite a heavy toll and caused the border town of Rantau Panjang to come to a standstill after most parts of it became submerged under two metres of water.

As of 7pm Monday, the town had also recorded the highest number of flood evacuees in the state at 1,746 people.

Checks by Bernama found the free trade zone area there to be flooded while housing areas, schools and shops were also inundated.

In Terengganu, as of 7pm, a total of 8,709 people still remained at 119 flood relief centres.

Of the total, 1,107 were in shelters in Hulu Terengganu, Marang (1,560), Dungun (2,829), Setiu (834), Besut (857) and Kemaman (1,522).

In KOTA BAHARU, a spokesman from the state's flood operations centre said the number of flood evacuees rose to 3,303 people compared to 3,270 this afternoon with Rantau Panjang recording 1,746 victims, Kuala Krai (880), Tanah Merah (391), Tumpat (190), Machang (60) and Kota Baharu (36).

"The water levels at the main rivers of Sungai Kelantan and Sungai Golok are still rising although rain has been intermittent and occasionally heavy," he told Bernama.

The Sungai Kelantan, Sungai Lebir and Sungai Golok were at the danger level while Sungai Galas in Dabong was nearing the danger mark, he said.

Four people lost their lives in the first wave of flooding that hit the state earlier this month while over 4,000 people had to be evacuated to relief centres.

However, there have been no casualties so far in this second wave of flooding.

Roads that remain closed to all vechicles as a result of the floods are Jalan Kota Baharu-Pantai Cahaya Bulan (PCB); Rantau Panjang-Panglima Bayu (Km 8.8 Kampung Kajang); Jalan Rantau Panjang-Panglima Bayu (Km8 Kampung Kubang Rambutan) and Jalan Baru Pasir Mas-Rantau Panjang at Km24.

Meanwhile, Kelantan Education Department director Mohd Ghazali Abdul Rahman said students in Rantau Panjang, Tanah Merah, Tumpat and Pasir Mas who are sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) examinations had been housed at hostels in order not to disrupt the examinations.

In KUALA TERENGGANU, a National Security Council spokesman said water levels in the main rivers of Sungai Jerteh, Sungai Setiu and Sungai Nerus were rising again after dropping earlier today.

However, he said major roads in the states were passable to all types of vechicle except for the coastal road connecting Kuala Terengganu to Kota Baharu which is submerged under 0.5 metres of water at Kampung Pengkalan Kubur and Jalan Ajil-Kuala Berang at Km21 as that stretch is under a metre of water.

Thus far no casualties have been reported because of this latest round of flooding in the state.

-- BERNAMA

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