KUBANG PASU: Four rivers in Kedah have exceeded dangerous water-level readings following several hours of heavy downpour since yesterday evening.
The heavy downpours have already caused flash floods in Changlun, forcing 166 victims from 48 families to evacuate to temporary flood relief centres (PPS) at SMK Changlun and Dewan Kampung Tradisi.
Kedah Civil Defence Force (APM) disaster management secretariat chief Major (PA) Muhammad Suhaimi Mohd Zain said the agency was prepared to face any eventuality should the condition worsen.
"Currently, water levels in Sungai Laka in Kubang Pasu district, Sungai Anak Bukit Taman Aman in Kota Setar, Sungai Pendang in Pekan Pendang, and Sungai Gurun in Kampung Perupok in Yan are all at dangerous levels.
"We've received info from the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) indicating that rainfall will persist.
"Therefore, we need to be prepared as the number of flood victims may increase, and more areas will be inundated," he told reporters when met at the Dewan Kampung Tradisi PPS here today.
Suhaimi advised all residents living in flood prone areas in Changlun to heed orders from the authorities to evacuate their homes to avoid unwanted incidents.
Meanwhile, state MetMalaysia director Muhammad Khalil Abd Aziz said that the persistent stormy conditions in the northern states are expected to continue until tomorrow.
He said the stormy weather was caused by the onset of the Monsoon Transition Period, which is anticipated to last from mid-September until November.
However, based on weather model analysis, he explained that tomorrow's weather conditions are expected to be less severe but will remain humid.
"This situation has the potential to generate thunderstorms and heavy rain with strong winds for an extended period in the northern states, including their coastal areas.
"After tomorrow, we anticipate an improvement in weather conditions. However, it's important to note that during this transition season, the weather in the northern states will remain relatively humid," he stated when contacted.
Khalil urged the public to stay vigilant and consistently refer to official weather reports from the department.
"Flash floods, water surges, uprooted trees, landslides, and infrastructure damage could occur during these times.
"Stay indoors, park your vehicles on higher ground, keep away from power lines, and strictly avoid entering floodwaters," he added.