THE number of flood victims in six states – Perak, Selangor, Johor, Kelantan, Malacca, and Penang – was reported to have decreased as at 6.30pm compared with this morning. 

In Perak, a state Disaster Management Committee secretariat spokesman said three relief centres (RCs) have been closed in the districts of Hilir Perak, Perak Tengah, and Larut Matang and Selama (LMS) after floodwaters receded in several affected areas. 

The spokesman said 408 victims from 114 families, compared with 524 victims from 153 families this morning, were still placed in five RCs in four districts – Hilir Perak, Kerian, Manjung and Perak Tengah, and LMS. 

Meanwhile, Manjung recorded an increase in flood evacuees from 94 to 107 people at the SMK Layang-Layang Kiri RC. 

In Selangor, the Social Welfare Department’s InfoBencana website showed that the number of flood victims decreased this afternoon to 187 victims from 51 families compared with 196 victims from 55 families this morning. 

In Kedah, the state Civil Defence Force (CDF) Disaster Management Committee secretariat head Muhammad Suhaimi Mohd Zain said the two RCs that were opened in the Kulim and Bandar Baharu districts for 53 people from 14 families were closed today after floodwaters receded.

In Penang, state CDF operations sector assistant director Kamal Jakarinah said the number of flood victims placed in the RC at Banjir Desa Puri Hall dropped to 30 people from five families, compared with 42 people from 12 families this morning. 

In Kelantan, according to the InfoBencana website, the number of flood victims decreased to 1,925 from 647 families, from 2,036 people involving 686 families this morning. 

In Malacca, the state Disaster Management Committee secretariat said in a statement the number of flood victims at the Durian Tunggal RC dropped to 48 victims from 13 families, compared with 53 people involving 15 families this morning. 

In Johor, the state Disaster Management Committee announced that the number of flood victims had dropped to 330 this afternoon compared with 345 this morning, following the closure of the SK Melayu Raya RC in Pontian. 

A total of 3,107 victims from 969 households were placed in 26 RCs until noon yesterday, according to the National Disaster Management Agency. 

In a statement today, the agency said 13 districts in seven states – Penang, Perak, Selangor, Malacca, Johor, Kelantan and Sabah – are still affected by floods. 

It said the situation in all states has generally improved, with five RCs closed today. 

The five RCs were at SK Melayu Raya, Pontian, Johor; Japerun Kesidang in Melaka Tengah; Kampung Padang Tembak Multipurpose Hall in Hilir Perak; Sungai Baru Community Hall in LMS, Perak; and SK Simpang Tiga Parit, Perak Tengah. 

According to the statement, the Meteorological Department had issued a “significant weather” forecast at 3pm today about wind concentration in the coastal areas of Kelantan and Terengganu, as well as north and central Sarawak, expected to occur between tomorrow and Saturday, which has the potential to increase humidity in the area. 

The Public Works Department also reported that as at 2pm today, there were five locations affected by flooding, six locations by landslides, one location by a collapsed road, one location by a sinkhole, and two locations by damaged/collapsed bridges. 

It said the incidents involved eight locations – two each in Kelantan and Negeri Sembilan and one each in Perak, Terengganu, Johor and Pahang. 

The public has been asked to refer to the latest information from authentic sources via this website, Facebook (PubliclnfoBanjir) and Twitter (@JPS_InfoBanjir). – Bernama, November 16, 2022.