ALOR STAR: The weather may be improving but the occasional downpour coupled with stagnant floodwater is denying evacuees from returning to their respective homes.
As at 5pm today, only 20 people were allowed to return home, leaving 153 people from 50 families in three relief centres in Kota Setar district.
A spokesman with the state’s Natural Disaster Management Committee said the victims are taking shelter at Surau As Syakirin and SK Haji Abu Bakar in Bukit Pinang, and SK Titi Gajah here.
Zulkifli Shafie, 43, from Kampung Teluk in Bukit Pinang described the flood as the worst since 2010.
He said the stagnant water, due to the high water level in Sungai Padang Terap near the village, had prevented them from returning home.
"We cannot say for sure when the floodwater will recede as the water will remain stagnant as long as the water level in the river is still high.
"All we can do is praying for the water to recede soon," Zulkifli said when he returned to check on his home today.
He said there are five houses in the village which are still inundated by floodwater, half a metre deep.
This is the second wave of flooding in the Kubang Pasu and Kota Setar districts, following the first wave three weeks ago.
Over 3,000 people from several districts in the state were forced to seek shelter at relief centres for several days following an unusual two-day downpour, which exceeded the monthly average rainfall in some of the affected areas.