KUALA LUMPUR: The floods affecting nine states in the country show no signs of abating, with the number of evacuees exceeding 143,000 yesterday.

According to the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the Social Welfare Department (JKM), 710 temporary relief centres (PPS) were opened up to 5pm yesterday to house evacuees in Kelantan, Terengganu, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Selangor, Johor, Perak, Perlis and Melaka.

Kelantan remains the worst-hit state, with 92,295 people from 28,616 families seeking shelter in 288 PPS across 10 districts, according to JKM’s Info Bencana portal.

The flooding in the state has forced the police to deploy a helicopter to deliver food aid to victims.

“The helicopter was sent to flood-prone areas inaccessible by normal vehicles. It delivered food aid to flood victims in Pengkalan Kubor and Lubok Setol,” Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said, adding that nine PPS in the two districts remain impassable to all vehicles.

In Terengganu, the disaster affected eight districts, with 335 PPS providing shelter for 41,730 victims from 11,625 families.

Negri Sembilan activated 14 PPS in three districts for 2,004 victims from 574 families.

In Kedah, 6,741 victims from 12,102 families in seven districts were relocated to 53 PPS in the state.

The Kedah Disaster Management Committee Secretariat said Kubang Pasu and Kota Setar are the hardest-hit districts.

Up to yesterday, 2,675 evacuees from 848 families are sheltering at 16 PPS in Kubang Pasu, while 11 PPS in Kota Setar are housing 2,486 evacuees from 726 families.

Baling is the latest district in the state to be affected by floods, with nine people from five families relocated to the SK Kuala Ketil PPS.

In Padang Terap, 1,223 people from 363 families are staying in 10 PPS, while Sik has 1,083 evacuees from 339 families at eight PPS.

In Pokok Sena, 594 evacuees from 180 families are seeking shelter in four PPS, and in Kuala Muda, 182 individuals from 53 families are taking refuge in two PPS.

In Perlis, 295 victims from 92 families are sheltering at three PPS in three flooded districts.

The floods in Kedah also disrupted the wedding reception of Nur Izzatul Asma Mustafa, 22, and her fiancé Mohamed Khairie Mohamed Kamal, 28, in Alor Setar.

Their dream of celebrating their special day with 1,000 family members and friends was shattered when the homestay they rented in Titi Besi, Kepala Batas, became inaccessible due to rising floodwaters.

The road from Kepala Batas town to the venue was closed to light vehicles as flood conditions worsened.

“We never expected flooding to occur here, as it is usually the east coast states that experience floods at this time of year,” Nur Izzatul said.

In Melaka, six PPS have been activated to shelter 232 victims from 61 families in three affected districts.

In Johor, 423 flood victims from 130 families are housed in 10 PPS in two districts.

Selangor recorded 229 victims from 57 families in one PPS.

Nadma reported that 20 people from seven families are still seeking shelter at a PPS in the Kerian district of Perak.