OFFICIAL PORTAL
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood victims housed at temporary relief centres (PPS) in three states has decreased to 2,803 Monday (March 24) afternoon, compared to 4,817 reported in the morning.
In JOHOR, the number of evacuees dropped to 2,455 as of 4pm Monday, down from 3,893 earlier.
State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) chairman Tan Sri Dr Azmi Rohani said all victims, comprising 703 families, are currently sheltered at 23 PPS still operating in five affected districts.
"Johor Baru continues to record the highest number of victims at 1,281, followed by Pontian (430), Batu Pahat (368), Kluang (299) and Kota Tinggi (77)," he said in a statement Monday.
In SARAWAK, the JPBN secretariat reported that the number of evacuees had decreased to 210 after three PPS were closed Monday as flood conditions improved.
The Asrama Belia Kapit and Dewan Suarah Kapit PPS were closed at 9am, while the Dewan Serbaguna Selangau PPS ceased operations at noon.
As of 4pm Monday, 25 flood victims remain at the Dewan Komuniti Sibu Jaya, while 185 evacuees are at the Dewan Kompleks Sukan Kanowit.
In SABAH, the flood situation is also improving, as the number of evacuees in Beaufort dropped to 138 from 41 families Monda afternoon, compared to 473 from 141 families in the morning.
The JPBN secretariat said two PPS, namely Dewan DSP DUN Banir and Dewan Gereja St Seno Batu 58, were closed Monday afternoon, leaving Dewan Selangon as the only centre still open to accommodate the remaining victims.
"A total of eight villages in Beaufort have been affected by floods," the statement added. - Bernama
JOHOR BARU: The flood situation in Johor is showing signs of improvement as the number of evacuees continues to decline.
The Johor Disaster Management Committee announced that as of 6pm on Sunday (March 24) the number of affected families had decreased from 703 to 544, while the total number of displaced victims had fallen from 2,455 to 1,906.
“The number of active temporary relief centres (PPS) has also reduced from 23 to 21, with two centres officially closed today.
“Despite the improving conditions, five districts remain affected by the floods which is Johor Baru, Pontian, Kota Tinggi, Kluang, and Batu Pahat,” it said in a statement on Sunday.
The committee added that the authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely, particularly concerning potential high tides and ongoing rain forecasts.
“Currently, Johor Baru has the highest number of victims, with 679 people taking shelter across five relief centres.
“This is followed by Batu Pahat (432 evacuees), Kluang (299), Pontian (419), and Kota Tinggi (77),” the committee said, adding that residents in flood-prone areas to remain vigilant and adhere to evacuation orders if necessary.
The public can stay updated through the Johor Civil Defence Force’s official Facebook page or contact the State Disaster Operations Control Center (PKOB) at 07-2322484/5 or via WhatsApp at 019-2127215.
KUANTAN: The operation to put out the fire at a 285ha of forest and pineapple plantation near Kampung Cenderawasih and Palma Valley in Pekan, which started on March 7, has been successfully completed after 17 days.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department director, Mohd Razam Taja Rahim, said the department is still monitoring the area in case of any new sparks that could reignite flames in the peatland region.
"The fire was fully extinguished yesterday (March 23), but we remain concerned about the potential threats posed by embers lingering underground. The department is utilising drones for aerial surveillance along the forest perimeters and will deploy firemen on the ground to check for any signs of fire.
"We will continue to monitor the area for at least the next two weeks, particularly due to the current hot weather. Even the Kuantan-Sungai Ular bypass fire site, which destroyed approximately 176 hectares of plantation and forest earlier this month, is still under observation by the Gebeng fire station," he told reporters at a shopping mall today.
Mohd Razam had earlier accompanied Pahang Public Works, Transport, and Health Committee chairman Datuk Ir. Razali Kassim to launch the road safety campaign and Op Siaga Raya Aidilfitri 2025.
The firefighting operation, which began on March 7, involved 113 firefighters from nine stations across Pahang, including the department's Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Team of Malaysia (Storm).
Other agencies assisting on the ground included the Pahang Forestry Department, the Pekan Civil Defence Force, and volunteer firemen from the Orang Asli community fire team.
Last week, Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the Pekan wildfires may have been caused by open burning but not linked to any drug-related activities as previously claimed.
SIBU (March 24): All temporary evacuation centres (PPS) for flood victims in Kapit and Sibu divisions have officially been closed today.
The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) secretariat in a statement said the two PPS in Kapit division, located at Asrama Belia Kapit and Dewan Suarah Kapit, were closed at 9am today.
In the Sibu division, the Dewan Serbaguna Selangau PPS was closed at 12pm, followed by the closure of the Dewan Komuniti Sibu Jaya PPS at 1pm and Dewan Kompleks Sukan Kanowit PPS at 5pm.
Two other PPS, namely the Dewan Masyarakat Kampung Bahagia Jaya Teku PPS in Sibu and Dewan Kampung Sukan in Miri, sheltering 43 and 40 landslide victims respectively, are still active as of 6pm.
The Saint Bernard Church PPS in Bintulu also remains active, and currently houses 146 fire victims from Rumah Lapie, Sungai Binai.
SANCHEONG COUNTY, South Korea (Reuters) - Deadly wildfires spread further across South Korea on Monday as authorities designated three more counties 'special disaster zones'.
At least four people have been killed and hundreds forced to flee their homes since blazes broke out in several areas on Saturday, stoked by strong winds and dry weather.
Kim Byung-wook, a 64-year-old farmer in Sancheong County in the southern part of the country, said the house he had lived in for more than 30 years had been destroyed.
"Things that remind me of my youth disappeared without a trace - photos of my children when they were young," he told Reuters.
"The biggest priority is to quickly come up with measures to support and allow disaster recovery as soon as possible," he said.
Sancheong was already a special disaster zone - a designation that triggers extra funding and other measures. Acting President Han Duck-soo added another county in South Gyeongsang Province and two others in Ulsan and North Gyeongsang Province to the list.
Han, who returned to the post following a ruling by the Constitutional Court earlier in the day, visited Uiseong County, one of the affected areas, and met residents who had taken shelter, his office said in a statement.