Floods expected to worsen

KOTA BARU: The flood situation in Kelantan and Terengganu is expected to worsen, with the weatherman warning of heavy rains in the two states.
The Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rains and thunderstorms in the east coast throughout the day until tomorrow, according to a report on its website.
A number of schools in Kelantan have been closed till further notice due to rising water levels while Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) said train services were still disrupted.
As at 8am today, the number of evacuees in Kelantan and Terengganu has risen to 2,032 compared with 1,213 at 8pm on Sunday.
Kelantan Civil Defence Force director Zainuddin Hussin said,
"all the evacuees are being accommodated at various relief centres in the five districts."
Zainuddin said he anticipated the evacuation of more people,
especially from Pasir Mas and Tumpat, when the water from the upper reaches of swollen rivers comes downstream.
A total of 7,011 school-children were unable to attend 25 primary and secondary schools in Kelantan on the second day of the 2017 school session due to floods.
The State Education Department said in a statement today the five secondary and 20 primary schools were located in Pasir Mas, Kuala Krai, Tanah Merah and Tumpat.
Meanwhile, the Intercity train service on the east coast routes, which has been disrupted since Dec 31 due to floods and landslides in Dabong, has yet to return to normal.
KTMB Head of Corporate Communication Ridhwan Arshad said the service between Dabong and Kuala Krai was still suspended until further notice.
"The track restoration work is still ongoing," he said in a statement here today.
Ridhwan said the Ekspres Timuran No. 26 (JB Sentral-Tumpat) train service would be available only up to the Gua Musang station and from the station, passengers would have to proceed to Kuala Krai, Tanah Merah, Pasir Mas, Wakaf Bharu or Tumpat using the bus service provided by KTMB.
Passengers heading to Dabong station, however, would be taken using the local train, he said.
He said for Ekspres Timuran No. 27 (Tumpat-JB Sentral) train service, passengers would be required to take the train from the Tumpat station to Kuala Krai before proceeding by bus to the Gua Musang station where they would board the train to the JB Sentral station.
In PASIR MAS, Rantau Panjang town, popular with its duty-free zone, is crippled after the nearby Sungai Golok overflowed its banks on Sunday night.
A check found that scores of traders had closed their shops fearing the steadily rising river water due to incessant rain in the central and upper parts of Kelantan since several days ago.
In addition, hundreds of residents in several villages on the banks of Sungai Golok had been evacuated to the relief centres after their houses were inundated in 0.5 metre to one metre of water.
"We apologise for all the inconveniences caused. For further information, call KTMB call centre at 03-22671200 or visit our website at www.ktmb.com.my," he added.