KUALA LUMPUR — Parts of Malaysia were hit by floods on Tuesday (Jan 2) after constant rainfall over the long New Year weekend affected nearly 1,500 people in six states.

Pahang was one of the worst hit states, with over 700 people from 183 families from the Rompin, Kuantan and Jerantut districts evacuated to 11 flood relief centres.

Pahang Civil Defence Force director Zainal Yusof said 349 people from 95 families were evacuated to five relief centres in Rompin.

A total of 96 people from Kuantan were evacuated to four flood relief centres, while in Jerantut, two villages were cut off after the access road was flooded at about 11am on Monday.

The two villages — Kampung Teresek and Kampung Belebar — were inhabited by nine and six families, respectively.

In Johor, some 373 people from the districts of Mersing and Kota Tinggi were evacuated to nine flood relief centres.

Mr Ayub Rahmat, chairman of the State Health, Environment, Education and Information committee, said 95 families were evacuated from their homes early Tuesday morning.

“Mersing is currently the worst hit with 337 people seeking shelter at seven flood relief centres,” he said in a statement published on The Star Online.

“Two more centres were opened up at Kota Tinggi to accommodate 34 victims.”

In the east coast state of Terengganu, the number of flood victims in the Dungun district rose to 233 people from 79 families as of Tuesday morning, compared with 55 people from 20 families on Monday night.

The level of water from the nearby Sungai Dungun river is at 21.33m, which is above the 21m danger level.

In Kelantan, Astro Awani reported that 150 school children from the Gua Musang district were unable to attend the first day of the new school year after the nearby Galas river burst its banks.

Three areas in the district were inundated with flood waters and some 46 victims are currently being housed in relief centres.

In Sabah, 288 people from 78 families had to be evacuated when continuous rains caused flooding in villages near the Tongod district.

Three primary schools were closed in Sarawak due to floods, affecting 330 pupils. The Sarawak state disaster management committee said access roads to the three schools were cut off due to rising flood waters. AGENCIES