KOTA BAHARU, Jan 7 (Bernama) — The flood situation in Kelantan has taken a turn for the worse with the border town of Rantau Panjang now cut off after it became inundated one metre deep.
The number of flood evacuees in the state is also rising rapidly with 2,084 people from 606 families placed in relief centres this afternoon as compared to 1,571 in the morning.
Checks by Bernama found all the shops in Rantau Panjang, which is separated by the Golok River from Golok in Thailand, to be shut.
A flood operations room spokesman at the Kelantan police headquarters here told Bernama that the evacuees were sheltered in 23 relief centres in Bachok, Kota Baharu, Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh, Tanah Merah and Tumpat.
He said the water level of the Golok River at Rantau Panjang now stood at 10.28 metres (danger level 9 metres) and that the following roads were closed to light traffic- KM3 Jalan Pengkalan Rakit (Pasir Mas), KM9 Jalan Pohon Tanjung-Rantau Panjang (Pasir Mas), Jalan Pohon Tanjung-Meranti (Pasir Mas), KM3 Jalan Tendong-Bunut Susu-Gelang Mas (Pasir Mas), KM10 Jalan Rantau Panjang-Panglima Bayu (Pasir Mas) and KM9 Jalan Cabang 4/Kampung Jambu/Meranti (Tumpat).
However, the flood situation in Terengganu is on the mend with only 388 people still in shelters this afternoon compared to 580 in the morning.
A National Security Council spokesman in KUALA TERENGGANU said four more relief centres (RCs) had been closed bringing the number of (RCs) still in operation to 18.
He anticipated that more flood evacuees would be allowed to return home later today.
He added that all major roads in the state were passable to all category of vehicles.
With the exception of Kuala Terengganu all the other districts in the state were hit by this latest round of flooding namely, Hulu Terengganu, Besut, Setiu, Marang and Kemaman.
As for Pahang, a spokesman at the flood operations room at the Pahang police headquarters in KUANTAN said the situation was almoast back to normal with only 18 people still sheltered at a relief centre in Chendor in the state capital- BERNAMA
