Twenty-four schools in flood-hit Terengganu will be closed tomorrow, according to state education director Shafruddin Ali Hussin.

He said 12 of the schools were in the district of Hulu Terengganu, 10 in Setiu and one each in Besut and Kemaman.

The schools had to be closed because some of them were flooded and the access road to the others were flooded, he said to Bernama.

"In Hulu Terengganu, nine primary schools will be closed, they being Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Felda Mengkawang, SK Padang Setebu, SK Cheting, SK Lubuk Periuk, SK Bukit Tadok, SK Padang Setar, SK Getang, SK Menerong and SK Kuala Jenderis.

"The three others are secondary schools, namely Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Kuala Jenderis, SMK Menerong and SMK Tun Indera," he said.

Shafruddin named the 10 schools in Setiu as SK Merbau Menyusut, SK Kampung Fikri, SK Pelong, SK Sungai Las, SK Kampung Besut, SK Kampung Bukit Ulu Nerus, SK Payong Baru, SK Langkap, SK Kampung Buloh and SK Chalok.

The school in Besut to be closed tomorrow is SK Pasir Akar and that in Kemaman is SK Padang Kubu.

Shafruddin said the closure of the 24 schools would affect 4,196 students and 544 teachers.

He also said that lessons had to be cut short at 21 of the schools today when floodwaters rose in the surrounding areas following heavy rain overnight.

"The three other schools were closed today, they being SK Sungai Las and SK Kampung Besut in Setiu and SK Getang in Hulu Terengganu," he said.

Kelantan closes 48 schools

Over in Kelantan, 15,084 students will not be able to attend school tomorrow as the Kelantan Education Department (JPN) has decided that 48 schools will be closed due to floods.

Kelantan JPN in a statement tonight said it involved schools in Pasir Mas (24), Kuala Krai (nine), Tanah Merah (six), Tumpat (five) and Machang (four).

The Pasir Mas schools are SK Kampung Baru, SK Rahmat, SK Gual Tokdeh, SK Rantau Panjang, SK Lubok Stol, SK Sri Rantau Panjang 2, SK Kok Pauh, SK Sri Rantau Panjang 1, SABK Al Falah Siram, SABK Diniah Bongor, SJKC Khay Boon, SMK Rantau Panjang, SMK Tiang Chandi, SK Gual Tinggi, SK Kedai Tanjong, SK Bakong, SK Gual Sitok, SK Gual Periok, SK Batu Jarum, SK Barol Pial, SK Kubang Kuau, SMK Barol Pial, SK Tok Sangkut and SABK Al-Balaghul Mubin.

In Kuala Krai, it involves SK Pemberian, SK Bahagia, SK Ladang Taku, SK Pasir Kelang, SK Kuala Nal, SABK Saadatul Qura, SK Batu Jong, SK Pasir Gajah and SJKT Pasir Gajah.

The six schools in Tanah Merah are SMK Ladang Kerilla, SK Ladang Kerilla, SK Sokor, SK Kampung Panjang dan SK Tebing Tinggi and SK Kulim.

In Tumpat, thye are SABK Nurul Huda Kajang Sebidang, SK Simpangan, SK Bendang Pak Yong, SK Pulau Beluru and SK Telok Jering.

In Machang, it involves SMK Temangan, SK Temangan, SK Kampung Kerilla and SJKC Chung Hwa.

All the schools are closed because of floods within the school compound or roads leading to them. The school closure also involves 1,528 teachers.

Stranded students

Over at Hulu Terengganu, 14 students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Menerong had to be rescued at about 11am after they were stranded after the school was flooded.

Kuala Berang Fire and Rescue Department chief Mohd Zamri Omar said of the group, 11 were sent to the Pengkalan Ajal Evacuation Centre while the rest were sent to their respective homes.

"The students were transferred after 0.5 metres of water inundated the path to their homes. In order to avoid a chaotic situation, the school authorities asked for help to rescue the stranded victims," he told Bernama.

It is understood that all the students were in their class before the area was hit by the floods this morning.

Meanwhile, in Kemaman, classes had to be cancelled at Sekolah Kebangsaan Padang Kubu due to floods since early this morning.

Kemaman District Education Officer Idris Bidin said about 45 students who stayed in the school's hostel had to be transferred to a nearby hall.

"The school was supposed to start today but heavy rain from last night caused the nearby river to overflow and at 7am about 0.04 metres of water covered the school area.

"Concerned with the safety of the students, we decided to move them to a hall with the help of the police," he told Bernama.

The number of flood evacuees in Terengganu rose to 3,469 as at 5.30pm from only 1,712 recorded earlier today.

According to the Social Welfare Department's Infobanjir mobile application, all the victims were currently placed at 63 relief centres in six flood-hit districts in the state.

Besut has the highest number of evacuees at 1,469 who are currently taking shelter at seven relief centres, followed by Hulu Terengganu (1,251), Setiu (443), Kemaman (176), Dungun (100) and Marang (30).

- Bernama