Author: web Desk

SANDAKAN, Dec 26 (Bernama) — Another 38 stilt houses in Kampung Forest, here collapsed due to the high tide phenomenon since last night, bringing the total number of affected houses to 108.

 

Sandakan district police chief ACP Abdul Fuad Abdul Malek said yesterday, a total of 70 houses collapsed due to the phenomenon on Saturday night.

 

“The number of evacuees at the relief centre in Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Anib 2 also increased to 684 people,” he told reporters today.

 

 

 

Abdul Fuad said he was thankful that no casualties were reported, as residents in the coastal areas had adhered to the authority’s advice to vacate their homes last night.

 

He said the high tide phenomenon is expected to occur again tonight, adding that the police have deployed vehicles and personnel to help the residents to evacuate.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

 

LABUAN, Dec 26 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Labuan is continuing its search and rescue operation (SAR) for a fisherman who was reported missing in Labuan waters after trying to free a fishing net caught in their boat’s propeller on Christmas Day (Dec 25).

 

Labuan MMEA director Capt (maritime) Nudin Jusoh said the victim, identified as Diniela Rambie, 58,  had gone fishing with two other crew members at around 5pm.

 

“The search and rescue operation was initiated immediately after receiving a missing person’s report from the victim’s friends the same day, since he did not come back to the boat.

 

 

 

“The victim and another crew member were trying to free the fishing net that got trapped in the boat’s propeller, one crew returned to the boat, but the victim did not after the net was successfully freed,” he told Bernama today.

 

Nudin said the search and rescue operation, which has entered its second day today, involved personnel from the marine police, Fisheries Department, Labuan Fire and Rescue Department with the assistance of a number of fishing boats.

 

He also advised those who wished to go fishing in the sea to take safety precautions, wear safety jackets, and to check the weather forecast and ensure their boats are in good condition.

 

 

 

He said the Foreign Ministry has been informed about the missing fisherman so that it could be channelled to the Consulate General of Indonesia in Malaysia.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

PASIR MAS, Dec 26 (Bernama) — Several flood victims in Kampung Tersang, Rantau Panjang, here have expressed concern that their wooden houses are decaying as a result of frequent flooding.

 

Che Ali Che Mud, 60, said that for the past two years, the inherited house he lived in was often hit by floods causing the walls and floor to collapse.

 

“As my house always suffers damage (from floods), I received a donation of new wood panels to replace the floor in October. But I haven’t had the chance to replace it as my house was submerged up to the roof last Sunday.

 

 

 

“We only use wood panels that are commonly produced which get warped easily every time floods hit,” he said when met by Bernama at his home, here today.

 

Che Ali claimed that a flood mitigation project located about 200 metres from his house, has caused the flood issue in Kampung Tersang to turn more serious over the past two years.

 

Che Ali said that usually after the rain has stopped floodwaters would remain stagnant and take up to two weeks to recede.

 

 

 

He added the situation had forced him and his two sons to stay longer at the relief centre during the flood season.

 

Another resident, Joh Che Wil, 80, said the frequent floods had also caused several damages to his semi-wooden house.

 

“I was forced to replace my wooden floor and furniture as they had suffered severe damage,” she said.

 

As such, she urged the relevant parties to take immediate action to resolve the stagnant floodwater issue in the village.

 

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

TUMPAT, Dec 26 (Bernama) — Zauyah Deraman, 36, hopes for nothing less than a miraculous solution from the government to stem the ‘yellow wave’ of flood and despair that swamps the states on the East Coast every year, especially Kelantan.

 

Zauyah, who is physically disabled (PWD), said she can’t bear it anymore to see her house damaged and personal belongings thrown away with every cycle of muddy waters.

 

“People not affected by floods don’t know how we feel as victims every year. It is heart-breaking to see everything soaked beyond repair. Every year we have to buy new things,” said Zauyah at her home in Kampung Ana here today.

 

 

 

Zauyah, who lives with her mother Fatimah Yusof who is a frail 74, said the flood this time was the worst ever where the rising waters in the house reached up to 0.7 metres.

 

She said floodwaters started pouring into her house since Monday afternoon and rose sharply towards nightfall, causing her to immediately seek out a friend to help move the furniture to a higher place.

 

“We thought it was safely perched but the flood this time was higher than the last time in March,” she said

 

 

 

The yellow wave forced her and her mother to take shelter at the temporary evacuation centre (PPS) of SMK Chabang Empat for six days since last Monday and only returned home two days ago.

 

“Reaching home, I was shocked to see the mess with the furniture still standing in water. And aghast to see the damaged walls and the rotten floor after being submerged in water for so long,” she said.

 

Adding to the grief of Zauyah, who is disabled in both arms and legs, the washing machine and refrigerator were also damaged.

 

“In my condition with a sickly mother, it is impossible for us to wash clothes by hand,” she bemoaned the obvious.

 

And the obvious is, the youngest of the seven siblings would welcome any kind soul to donate a new washing machine.

 

For immediate respite, she was grateful that a Good Samaritan came forward to wash her house yesterday.

 

“If there is no one to clean it, we will have little choice but to sleep with the slime,” she said, while taking pains to explain that her other siblings reside outside Kelantan and some were also not spared the annual tide of flood and despair.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 (Bernama) — The number of flood evacuees in Kelantan and Sabah tonight recorded a drop with Sarawak reporting a slight increase, while the situation in Terengganu and Perak remained unchanged.

 

The number of residents in Sabah coastal areas who were evacuated to temporary relief centres (PPS) due to the high tide phenomenon, was reported to have decreased.

 

In KELANTAN, the numbers dipped to 1,235 evacuees (from 428 families) tonight, compared with 1,511 people (from 515 families) reported in the afternoon.

 

 

 

The Kelantan Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) Secretariat, in a statement, said all evacuees were placed at five PPS in Pasir Mas and Tumpat districts.

 

In SABAH, the number of people evacuated in Kota Belud has dropped to 135 people (from 56 families) tonight compared with 139 people (57 families) reported earlier.

 

PPS at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pekan hall currently housed 62 people (26 families), while 73 people from 30 families are placed at the PPS Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (C) Chung Hwa hall.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the number of evacuees along the coastal areas, who were evacuated due to the high tide phenomenon has dropped to 1,454 people (from 299 families) tonight compared with 1,506 people (314 families) recorded earlier.

 

PPS Dewan Muhibbah Sembulan in Kota Kinabalu was closed tonight, while 686 evacuees (from 122 families) were transferred to a PPS in Sandakan, and 768 people (from 177 families) were moved to six PPS in Pitas.

 

In SARAWAK, PPS Kampung Lutong in Sebuyau was opened late this afternoon following continuous rain since Friday, according to JPBN Sarawak.

 

This brings the number of PPS operating in the state to two and a total of 91 people have been evacuated as of 7 pm.

 

Another PPS in operation is PPS at Kampung Rimba Padi multipurpose hall in Serian.

 

In TERENGGANU, the flood situation remained unchanged with 138 people still housed at two PPS.

 

The JPBN secretariat said Besut is the only district still affected with two PPS still operating, namely the Masjid Kampung La (126 people) and Kg Pantai (12 people).

 

In PERAK, the situation remained unchanged as of 8 pm with 62 people (from 14 families) taking shelter at a PPS as the flood water has not receded.

 

The Perak JPBN secretariat said the PPS at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Abd Rahman Talib (SMART) in Hilir Perak is the only PPS currently operating.

 

He said the weather conditions were good and all evacuees will be allowed to return home once the situation is safe.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency