Rantau Panjang town popular with its Duty-Free Zone, is crippled after the nearby Sungai Golok overflows its banks since last night.

A Bernama 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.

A tudung trader, Darukni Zulkifli, 31, had to go to her shop as early as 8 am to pack up, despite having fever, fearing her shop would be inundated when the flood started last night.

"My workers helped me to shift the goods to the upper floor of the shop. I lost thousands of ringgit during the floods in 2014. I was forced to sell off the tudung at RM5 each," she said at her shop in Rantau Panjang town, today.

Textile trader, Hasrullizam Shaari, 41, said he and his workers had gradually moved the goods to a safer place early while still keeping the shop open for business.

"If the rain continues and the water level rises further, I will close my shop," said Hasrullizam, who started trading in the area six years ago.

Meanwhile, Kampung Dalam Peladang resident Habsah Abdul Hamid, 74, said she moved to Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Seri Rantau Panjang 2 at 11am today.

She said her house was flooded up to 0.3 metre at midnight but decided to evacuate to the relief centre this morning.

"I stay 300 metres away from the flood relief centre. I have packed up early as I fear the repeat of the 2014 floods. I hope the flood waters will recede fast," she said.

Another flood victim, Azman Abdul Kadir, 38, of Kampung Dedap here, said he started to evacuate at 4 am after the flood waters rose to chest level.

"My wife and I carried our three children, aged eight months, two years and six years, for a kilometre to the relief centre," he added.

Number of flood victims rise

The number of flood victims in Kelantan rose to 1,568 from 434 families as at 9pm today, up from 1,148 people from 338 families at 5pm.

Kelantan Malaysia Civil Defence Force director Zainuddin Hussin said Pasir Puteh became the latest district to be hit by the floods, bringing the total number of districts affected by the disaster to six.

A total of 485 people from 124 families were in Kuala Krai, 200 people (47 families) in Jeli, 482 people (145 families) in Tanah Merah, 133 people (28 families) in Machang, 241 people (85 families) in Pasir Mas and 27 people (five families) in Pasir Puteh, he said when contacted tonight.

He said the victims are placed at 32 evacuation centres namely, eight each in Kuala Krai, Tanah Merah and Pasir Mas, four in Machang, three in Jeli and one in Pasir Puteh.

Meanwhile, the state government portal, ebanjir.kelantan.gov.my, reported that the level at Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang as at 8pm was 10.27m, up from 10.20m at 5pm while the danger level of the river is 9m.

The water level at three other rivers in Kelantan - Sungai Galas at Dabong, Sungai Lebir at Tualang and Sungai Kelantan at Tangga Krai - continued to drop and were now at the alert level, it said.

Leave frozen for police personnel

Leave for 5,000 policemen in Kelantan has been frozen as a preparation to face floods in the state.

Kelantan police chief Ab Rahman Ismail said police officers and personnel who were on leave had also been recalled for duty to ensure smooth evacuation of flood victims.

"However, officers and personnel who are attending courses, meetings an on emergency leave will still be allowed to take their leave," he told reporters after visiting the flood evacuation centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Rantau Panjang, today.

He also visited the Rantau Panjang Police Station which was submerged in 0.3 metre of floodwaters.

Ab Rahman said the state police had also divided its personnel into two teams which would be assigned to help victims and ensure safety during the monsoon season.

He also advised victims not to worry to take shelter at flood evacuation centres as the police would always monitor the security level at their residential areas.

Food supply sufficient for a month

The Social Welfare Department (JKM) has also assured that food supply Kelantan and Terengganu, which is also hit by floods, is sufficient should the disaster stretch up to one month.

Its director-general, Zulkiply Ramly said the department had prepared in advance by storing the food supply at its forward bases and depots which had been identified before this.

"Alhamdulillah, although the floods occur in the two states, the delivery and distribution of food supplies have gone well.

"We have two large food supply depots in Marang, Terengganu and Kemumin, Kelantan, enough for one month's supply should the floods recur," he told reporters after visiting flood victims at the Kampung Getang relief centre in Kuala Berang, Terengganu, today.

Zulkiply said the experience in facing the massive floods in the two states in 2014 had taught the department to be better prepared for this year.

- Bernama