Friday January 7, 2011
Rising floodwaters force 16 schools in Kelantan to close immediately
KOTA BARU: Almost 5,000 students from 16 schools in Kelantan were sent home early yesterday when incessant rain since Wednesday caused widespread flooding.
State Education Department Director Hussain Awang said the affected schools were in Pasir Mas, Tumpat and Tanah Merah.
He said the students were sent home when floodwaters kept rising and were about to cut off roads leading to the schools.
“The department felt it was best for the students to go back to their homes rather than get trapped in the schools.
Submerged road: Villagers going through a flooded road in a sampan and motorcycles at Kampung Matang in Kuala Berang in Terengganu yesterday.
“We also instructed the schools to close immediately until the situation returned to normal,” he said.
The six schools in Pasir Mas that were closed are Sekolah Kebangsaan Lubok Setol, Rantau Panjang; SK Bakong, Rantau Panjang; SK Kedondong, Pasir Mas; SK Kampung Baru, Rantau Panjang; and Al-Fallah and Diniah religious schools both in Rantau Panjang.
The four in Tumpat are SK Bendang Pak Yong; SK Simpangan; SK Chenderong Batu and Nurulhuda religious school. In Tanah Merah, six schools were closed. They are SK Tebing Tinggi; SK Ladang Kerilla; SMK Ladang Kerilla; SK Sokor; SK Kampung Panjang and SK Kulim.
In Kuantan, two schools were also closed early after flood levels rose knee-high after two days of downpour. A state police operations room spokesman said several stretches of roads were also closed to light vehicles due to the floods.
They are KM18 of the Kuantan-Terengganu bypass near Aspa Cottage and the KM24, KM25 and KM26 stretches near Bukit Penggorak. As of late evening, the roads were still closed to light vehicles.
Meanwhile, Kelantan disaster management committee secretary Roslee Mamat said the state was bracing for a third wave of floods. He said water levels in some rivers, including Sungai Golok, had risen above the danger level.
“We have advised those staying along river banks and in flood-prone areas to be ready for evacuation when the need arises,” he said. However, he said the situation so far was reported to be under control. — Bernama
