KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Works Department (JKR) has reported that there are 120 disaster areas as of 2pm on Wednesday (Dec 21) involving floods (94 locations), collapsed slopes (16), collapsed roads (two), road subsidence (five) and damaged/collapsed bridges (three).

National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), in a statement on Wednesday, said that the incidents occurred at four locations each in Kedah, Negri Sembilan and Pahang; one location each in Perak and Selangor; 38 locations in Kelantan; 65 locations in Terengganu; as well as three in Johor, which involved 48 Federal roads and 72 state roads.

Meanwhile, the number of flood victims in five states – Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor – increased to 72,510 in 418 temporary relief centres this evening compared to 72,297 people in 446 centres Wednesday morning.

The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), meanwhile, reported that 10 rivers were at danger level this evening, namely Sungai Keratong, Jalan Kota Bahagia, Rompin in Pahang; Sg Lebir in Kampung Tualang in Kuala Krai, Rantau Panjang in Pasir Mas, Sg Golok in Kampung Jambu (Kuala Jambu), Tumpat and Sg Golok in Rantau Panjang, in Kelantan.

In Terengganu, the affected rivers are Sg Dungun at Jambatan Jerangau, Dungun; Sg Telemong in Kuala Ping, Hulu Terengganu; Sg Kemaman at the Paya Paman Pump House, Kemaman; Sg Nerus in Kampung Jeram, Kuala Nerus; and Sg Marang at the Pengkalan Berangan Bridge.

The DID, through the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN), has updated the preparedness notices to enable residents, especially those in risk areas, to be wary of the possibility of flash floods occurring in the next 24 hours.

“The hotspots listed involve 12 districts from three states, namely Pahang (Bentong, Bera, Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin); Perak (Batang Padang, Hilir Perak and Muallim); as well as Selangor (Hulu Selangor, Kuala Selangor, Petaling and Sepang),” the statement added.

Nadma also said the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) had updated the severe-alert level continuous rain warning in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor effective until Thursday (Dec 22), Sarawak (Dec 23-24) and Sabah (Dec 23-26), as well as strong winds and rough seas warning in the waters of the South China Sea until Saturday (Dec 24).

Apart from that, MetMalaysia also issued a Significant Weather Forecast based on a weather model analysis, the ongoing monsoon is expected to occur until Sunday (Dec 25) and has the potential to cause strong winds, big waves as well as continuous rain in east coast states in the Peninsula, Sabah, western Sarawak and the waters of the South China Sea.

Regarding coordination of the Disaster Operations Control Centre (PKOB), Nadma said all PKOBs in the affected states had been directed to identify the need for alternative temporary relief centres to be activated if the existing ones are close to reaching capacity. – Bernama