By K.M. LEW


ALOR SETAR: Several new areas in Kedah have been hit by floods, including Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak’s home at Jalan Sultanah here.
     Azizan, who lives in the house with his wife Tok Puah Faekah Sheikh Hamzah and son Mohamad Azizan, 28, moved out from the house at about 11am yesterday after it was submerged in one metre of water.
     Also flooded was the compound of the state police contingent at Jalan Stadium.

Steady hands: Fire and Rescue Department officers carrying former principal of Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid, Baharuddin Abd Majid, 64, to drier ground after floods inundated his house in Taman Uda, Alor Setar, yesterday.

     The number of evacuees in the state has increased to 40,212 as Taman Uda, Lorong Bayu, Taman PKNK and Taman Rakyat in Kota Setar were also hit by floods.
     Azizan, when met after chairing a meeting with federal and state government agencies, said 140 relief centres had been opened in Kubang Pasu, Kota Setar, Pokok Sena and Padang Terap.
     A National Security Council operations room spokesman said 100 evacuation centres were still open.
     Meanwhile, the Langkawi Recreation Club and nine other non-governmental organisations have launched a flood relief fund for the state.

Proving that nothing can stop the joyful celebrations of this Festival of Lights, Alor Setar MIC Youth chief W. Thiruchandru, 32, (right) and his friends (all seated) attending the Deepavali celebrations at the home of contractor K. Murugan, 51, (left) and his wife R. Rajama, 54, at their flooded house at Kampung Telok, Sungai Korok, Alor Setar yesterday.

     Club president Datuk Mansor Ismail said they hoped to collect as much as possible during the one-month fund-raising period until Dec 5, to be channelled to the flood victims.
     In Kangar, the floods eased slightly yesterday morning, with 1,375 of 15,159 evacuees allowed to return home and 11 of the 55 evacuation centres closed.
     But state Drainage and Irrigation Department director Nishad Mohamed Shaffy has warned about the possibility of a second wave of flooding.
     He said if there was heavy rainfall in the next few days, the department might be forced to re-open the six floodgates at the Timah Tasoh dam.
     The water level in Kangar had subsided significantly but several roads were still impassable to light vehicles.
     In Kota Baru, the Kelantan Welfare Department has assured the people that it will be able to provide foodstuff to flood victims for up to 10 days.
     Its director, Mohd Noor Chik, said the RM100,000 allocation would ensure there was enough food for evacuees during the period should a second wave of flooding hit the state.
      The floods had subsided in Kelantan, with 475 evacuees allowed to return home.

      The body was taken to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital for post mortem.

By K.M. LEW

By K.M. LEW

By K.M. LEW

ALOR SETAR: More than 19,000 people have been evacuated in Kedah and Perlis, while a 13-year-old boy drowned after he was swept away by floodwaters.

     Padang Terap OCPD Deputy Supt Ku Yaacob Ku Hamad said the incident occured while the boy was fishing at Kampung Charok Bongor, near Kuala Nerang, around 5pm Tuesday.

     Villagers found the body of the boy, identified only as Mohd Zaki, an hour later.

     In Jitra, a 64-year-old German woman has been missing after she slipped and fell into floodwaters as she was leaving a house in Kampung Kerenjis Kota Giam with her son and Malaysian daughter-in-law.

     Police said Erna Fischer slipped and fell into the floodwaters at 8.30pm on Monday and has not been found yet.

     Kubang Pasu OCPD Supt Sawaluddin Hamenuddin said police, with the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department and villagers, have mounted a search for the woman.

     Meanwhile, Kedah National Security Council spokesman Ridzuan Yahya said Tuesday that 10,834 people from Kubang Pasu were evacuated to 31 relief centres, while in Padang Terap, 3,478 were moved to 33 centres and in Kota Setar, 709 to eight relief centres.

     The number of evacuees in Pokok Sena increased to 488 people, who were evacuated at seven relief centres.

     He said the water level at Sungai Bata in Kubang Pasu district was recorded at 10.22m, above the danger level of 9.14m.

     He added that in Kota Setar, the water level at Sungai Kepala Batas was recorded at 5.02m, above the danger level of 3.80m, and Sungai Pantai Johor recorded 2.72m, above the danger level of two metres.

     Ridzuan said Sungai Naka river in Padang Terap district, Sungai Kubu and Sungai Padang Sanai were below the danger levels.

     Four relief centres in Padang Terap were closed and 166 people were allowed to return home.

     In KANGAR, Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu said more than 4,000 people have been evacuated to 42 relief centres.

     He added that about 11,000ha of padi fields belonging to the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) and individuals had been damaged since the rains started on Sunday.

     State Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) director Nishad Mohamed Mohd Shaffy said the cause of the flooding was due the sudden rising of water for a few days at several main rivers.

     Nishad said the Timah Tasoh dam reading was at 30.49m at midnight, beyond the 29.6m, which is classified as the danger level.

     "However we are confident if the weather stabilises, the water level will reduce to normal in three days," he added.

     DID director of water resources and hydrology Hanafi Mohamad Noor said the red alert warning was terminated by the Meteorological Department at noon Tuesday.

     He said the flood was caused due to abnormal rainfall since Oct 30.

     "The water level at all the stations in the state still shows the rising of water despite the rainfall slowing down," he added.