148 flood victims in Penang evacuated

Non-stop heavy rain which fell in the Juru area here yesterday caused homes in several low-lying areas to be flooded up to 0.5 metres and 148 people evacuated to two temporary evacuation centres (PPS) which were opened late last night.

Chairperson of the state Welfare, Caring Society and Environment committee Phee Boon Poh said the first centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Juru, here was opened at 11pm to accommodate nine families.

“They comprised 33 people including a baby boy and a baby girl. The evacuation exercise was conducted by the Civil Defence Force together with the Social Welfare Department,” he said today.

He added that the second centre at in Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) True Light in Perkampungan Juru was opened at 11.45pm to house 115 people from 27 families, including two pregnant women.

Phee said the evacuation team also took the body temperatures of those affected to ensure that they did not have fever, and so far, all those who were sent to the evacuation centres were healthy and told to observe social distancing to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The weather in the Bukit Mertajam and Juru areas is currently good while the flood waters have receded.

Yesterday, a two-hour downpour in Penang saw flash floods in many areas in the state and several homes in the Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) district damaged.

The heavy rain began at 3pm causing water levels in Kepala Batas, Permatang Buluh, Lahar Yooi, Nyior Sebatang, Sungai Dua, Machang Bubok, Tasek Gelugor, Simpang Ampat, Bagan Ajam and Merbau Kudung to rise to between 0.1 and 0.5 metre.

- Bernama