KUANTAN (Pahang) — Floodwaters continued to rise today (Dec 5) in several parts of West Malaysia, almost paralysing the Kuantan town centre and peripheral regions and cutting off electricity and water supplies to many households. The flood has forced over 37,000 civilians from Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan to evacuate to relief centres, according to local media reports.

A spokesman of the police flood operations room reported two people were feared missing in the flood waters of Kuantan. Mr Jamal Ali, 40, and his teenage son fell into waters while transferring their belongings to their boat.

Kuantan Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohd Jasmani Yusoff said: “The search-and-rescue team is looking for the victims.”

Malaysia’s major telecommunication operators say phone lines and mobile phone coverage are currently unstable, hindering communication efforts between the police and other agencies. About 63,000 consumers were affected when Tenaga Nasional Berhad cut off the electricity supply to over 1,000 flooded electrical substations in Pahang and other districts, according to the New Straits Times. With the power grid shutdown, water pumps of Syarikat Air Terengganu stalled, cutting off water supply to 7,500 consumers in several areas.

Existing flood relief centres are facing severe overcrowding from the number of evacuees, with some of them also reportedly flooded. Some are facing shortage of food supplies, with other basic necessities unable to reach them due to the floods. Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said the army was instructed to set up more relief centres within the army camps, where some refugees will be shifted to.

“Some centres were also inundated with flood waters, and some of the centres did not have enough food as there were too many of them,” he noted.

“The prime minister agreed and directed me to act immediately. I will hold a meeting with senior officers at the camps involved and other security forces.”

While the heavy rain has stopped, flood waters in several districts, including Sungai Isap and Indera Sempurna, saw a rise in water levels, according to the Kuantan Fire and Rescue operations centre. The East Coast Expressway roads were also impassable to light vehicles.

“We are operating using a generator set as there has been no electricity since last night,” said the centre. “Our men are also facing difficulties in evacuating the victims as the water rose so fast in several areas while the flood relief centres are already full.”

Flood waters in Kuantan suburbs and villages were reported by Bernama to have reached up to 2 metres. MALAYSIAN INSIDER AND AGENCIES