BALING – A total of 166 people from 134 families have been evacuated to four relief centres in two districts in Kedah after their houses were hit by flash floods following several hours of heavy rain yesterday evening.
The districts affected are Baling, with 159 people from 131 families, and Bandar Baharu, with seven evacuees from three families.
Mohd Faizol Ab Aziz from the Baling Civil Defence Force said three relief centres were opened in the district, namely at SK Seri Bayu, SK Siong and SK Parit Panjang.
“The affected areas include Kg Siput, Batu 8, Kg Batu 60, Kg Kuala Kedua and Kg Memali in Mukim Siong.
“Kg Rambung Pulau, Kg Charuk Gorok, Kg Charuk Salang and a house in Kg Haji Abas are also affected,” he said in a statement today.
Faizol said heavy rainfall also caused the nearby river to overflow, causing several homes to be inundated.
He said 123 students, 49 teachers and seven facilitators from SMK Bonggor and SK Seri Perdana who were participating in a camping activity at a campsite here yesterday had also been relocated to a safer location to prevent any untoward incidents.
Meanwhile, Abdul Rahim Khairuddin from the secretariat of the Bandar Baharu disaster management committee said seven people from three families in Kg Cherok Meranti had been moved to a centre at the Sg Batu Mosque after their houses were inundated by flash floods yesterday.
“However, the water has receded completely and the relief centre is expected to close at 10am today after all the victims are allowed to return to their homes,” he said. – October 27, 2023