Six Deaths In Kelantan Floods, Some Treating Crisis Like A Festival Despite Warnings
Currently, the number of flood victims stand at 147,162 individuals across 10 states.
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As the northeast monsoon season hits its peak, several flood-related deaths have been reported by the media.
Yesterday (1 December), two elderly men aged 72 and 28 were reported to have drowned in two separate locations within the Machang district of Kelantan after both went to check on their livestock instead of evacuating.
Meanwhile a nine-year-old girl was found dead in her home in Kampung Gual To’Deh yesterday, after her brother discovered her lying face-down and unconscious, with their mother believed to have suffered a stroke in the flood-hit village, according to a Malay Mail report.
A one-year-old boy died last Saturday (30 November) since the floods hit Kelantan, New Straits Times reported.
The floods have claimed a total of six lives so far, with the other two being one man who was electrocuted to death from trying to unplug the washing machine in his house, and a 64-year-old man who drowned trying to move a football goal post in Machang on Tuesday (26 November).
Currently, the number of flood victims have surged to 147,162 individuals involving 44,182 families across 10 states. They are housed in 676 Temporary Evacuation Centres (PPS) as of 4pm yesterday.
Some treating the flood crisis like a festival, despite warnings by authorities
While some have lost their lives to the floods and thousands more are uprooted from their homes, there are groups who have been treating the disaster like a festival instead of heeding the warnings by authorities.
Bernama recently shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing footage of an area in Kota Bharu where people are seen wading through floodwater to attend a local market.
Prior to this, Kelantan Police Chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat had reminded the public to prioritize their own safety, and not turn the flood crisis into a “festival”.
No need to declare state of emergency as floods are expected to subside, says DPM
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, said there was no need to declare a state of emergency for the floods in Kelantan and Terengganu.
The number of flood victims at PPS in the east coast states is expected to decrease next week, following the forecast of reduced rainfall by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (METMalaysia), according to a media report.
“Hopefully what has been forecasted by METMalaysia, where the continuous rainfall will drop by next week, will come true, as this will allow the floods to recede.
“We are confident that when there is a reduction on rainfall, it will reduce the need for evactuations to relief centres,” he said at a press conference after the Selangor Barisan National Convention yesterday.
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