Perlis Flood Losses Estimated At RM150 Mln

KANGAR, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- Floods that hit Perlis at the end of November caused an estimated RM150 million in losses, affecting infrastructure, homes, agriculture, local businesses, public facilities, as well as the education and health sectors.

Perlis State Secretary Datuk Rahimi Ismail said the losses were lower than the initial estimate of RM230 million due to the effectiveness of the ‘Western Flood Diversion System’, which helped reduce flooding in several critical areas.

He said a total of 38,589 people from 13,881 families were affected by the floods, including those who did not evacuate to the 24 temporary evacuation centres opened during the disaster.

“Rapid water inflow, especially after the release of water from the Timah Tasoh Dam, caused many residential areas and paddy fields to be submerged,” he told a press conference on post-floods rehabilitation efforts today.

Rahimi said large-scale clean-up operations were carried out through the Disaster Operations Control Centre, involving agencies such as the Civil Defence Force, Drainage and Irrigation Department, Social Welfare Department, SWCorp, as well as the police, fire department and military teams.

He also said that flood warning systems and emergency preparedness worked well despite the fast-rising water.

 Cash aid from the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) has also begun, with about one-third of recipients already receiving assistance and the rest expected to be completed within three weeks, he added.

-- BERNAMA