MELAKA – A total of 248 flood victims have been evacuated to five relief centres in Masjid Tanah, Alor Gajah here as of 7.30pm, and authorities are expecting the number to increase.
At press time, more evacuees are still being registered at the relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Jernih, Bernama reports.
A Melaka Civil Defence Force spokesman told national news agency that flood-hit areas include Kampung Paya Lebar, Kampung Ramuan China Besar, Kampung Bukit Apit, Kampung Ayer Limau, Kampung Sungai Jernih, Kampung Lekok, Kampung Paya Rumput, Kampung Lubok China, Taman Masjid Tanah Ria, Taman Bandar Baharu Masjid Tanah, Kampung Rantau Panjang, Kampung Berisu, Taman Awan Biru, Taman Seri Bayu 2 and 3 as well as Taman Seri Aman.
“Currently, 110 people from 20 families are housed at Dewan Masjid Ar-Rasyidin Taman Seri Bayu 2, Balai Raya Kampung Ramuan China Besar (67 people from 10 families), Balai Raya Paya Lebar (63 people from 12 families), Perkim Masjid Tanah (four people from two families) and Balai Raya Ayer Paabas (four people from four families).”
Masjid Tanah was hit by flash floods this morning after continuous rain that began at 5am, causing some areas to be unreachable by vehicles.
On social media, netizens reported the dire situation, with one viral video showing roads in Taman Bandar Baru Masjid Tanah completely submerged at 2.47pm earlier. The video also showed water flooding nearby shop lots to about waist-high
Houses in the area were flooded to waist-high as early as 10am, according to Kampung Ramuan China Besar village elder Khairul Anwar Mansol, who said rain began at 5am.
“My wife and I, along with our three children, aged eight to14, are taking shelter at a shop near our home,” he said.
It is the first time the Taman Bandar Baru Masjid Tanah housing area, which has over 300 families, has been hit by flash floods, he added.
Meanwhile, cattle breeder Muhammad Nabil Irfan Ibrahim, 22, expressed his relief that he was able to release almost 20 of his cows from a shed in Kampung Ramuan China Besar when flood waters rose at around noon after rain started at 7am.
“I had to brave chest high waters to release my cows, and thankfully none died. This is the third time my place has been hit by floods, but water has receded this afternoon,” he said.
Malaysia is currently experiencing the La Nina phenomenon which brings wetter weather, and which peaks towards the end of the year. – August 11, 2024