TTF: Flood waters on the island receded yesterday, while the situation on the mainland is as reported below (see news item). However, major drains on the island remain clogged and threaten to overflow should there be another downpour. The state administration should mobilise a task force to have these drains cleared to prevent another disaster.
GEORGE TOWN: The number of evacuees at relief centres in five districts in Penang declined slightly to 5,478 people at noon from 5,845 this morning.
A police operations room spokesman said the Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) district still recorded the highest number of 2,922 people at 28 relief centres followed by Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district with 1,933 people at 25 relief centres.
“Flood waters have receded in several areas in the two districts with roads reopened to traffic and flood victims opting to return home to clean up their houses.
“In the SPU areas of Bertam Indah, Bagan Ajam and Permatang Buluh, flood waters are starting to recede as well as in SPT involving Juru and Seberang Jaya,” he said here today.
He said only one relief remained open in Barat Daya district at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Korok involving 93 victims while the relief centre at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Teluk Kumbar was closed at noon today.
The spokesman said in Timur Laut district, 259 people were still seeking shelter at three relief centres and the flood waters in the district was receding.
However the number of flood evacuees housed at the relief centre in Seberang Perai Selatan rose to 272 people at noon from 33 this morning due to the rain and rising flood waters.
The weather in the state at noon is still cloudy with rainfall in several areas of the island.
Many parts of Penang are affected by the floods with some areas under 0.2 metre to one metre of flood waters, followed by strong winds and heavy rain since Friday that uprooted dozens of trees.
So far the floods, described as the worst in the state’s history, have claimed seven lives.
Source: Bernama
