ALOR STAR: Continuous heavy rain combined with high tide in the Kedah capital's flood led to traffic snarls and disrupted business activities.
Kedah Fire and Rescue Department Zone 1 chief Ahmad Aminuddin Abd Rahim said floodwaters surging from upstream areas intensified the situation along the coastal areas.
He said the department is on standby, with the situation likely to persist through tomorrow.
"The city centre, especially around the Darulaman Highway, was submerged, affecting commercial hubs like Aman Central. Several parts of Anak Bukit are also experiencing floods.
"A high tide is expected tonight and again tomorrow. While conditions have eased, we urge residents in the district to move to temporary flood relief centres centres if water levels rise.
"Several flood relief centres were opened at 3pm, and even before this announcement, we saw water levels rising in parts of Kota Setar district," he told reporters today.
He said strong winds had also caused several uprooted trees in the area and he urged residents to remain vigilant.
"We advise residents to exercise caution as the weather in Kota Setar and the whole state is currently unpredictable."
Checks around the city centre found widespread flooding, with some residents describing this as the worst flood since November 2010, when northern states were severely affected.
Mohd Hisham Khalid, 41, said usually his residential area in Tanjung Bendahara wouldn't be flooded even during bouts of heavy rain.
"This is the worst flooding since November 2010. Water reached up to my hips in my house by 11.30am and only began to recede slightly by 4pm.
"I'm worried the tide may rise again tonight. My family and I have decided to evacuate to a relief centre in case the situation worsens," he added.
Meanwhile, according to the Welfare Department's disaster information app, the number of flood victims in Kedah has risen to 3,863 from 794 families, all seeking shelter in 21 flood relief centres across the state as of 6pm.