According to the public works department’s disaster management website at http://bencanaalam.jkr.gov.my, four routes are closed to all traffic, while the other eight routes are closed to only light vehicles.

The routes that are closed to all vehicles are two in Tanah Merah, namely the access road to the Bukit Remah water plant and Jalan Bukit Panau-Bendang Nyior, and two routes in Pasir Mas, namely Jalan Pengkalan Rakit-Batu Karang and Jalan Sekolah Kebangsaan Tok Deh.

Meanwhile, four routes in Pasir Puteh are closed to light vehicles. They are Jalan Kota Bharu-Kuala Terengganu, FT003 Jalan Kota Bharu-Kuala Terengganu (Panggong 3 Daerah), Jalan Pasir Puteh-Gong Kelih (Kg Chengal Pulas) and Jalan Gaal-Kg Bukit.

In Kuala Krai, it involves two routes, namely Jalan Sg Durian-Chenulang and Jalan Bukit Sireh-Kampung Bedal-Kuala Nal. In Pasir Mas, the affected routes are Jalan Tok Deh-Gual Periok and Jalan Bakat-Kubang Kuau.

Kelantan menteri besar Ahmad Yakob has ordered five flood operations control centres to be activated in Pasir Mas, Jeli, Tanah Merah, Machang and Pasir Puteh to coordinate flood relief efforts.

The floods hit more than 50 residents of Kampung Chawas, Tanah Merah, after eight years.

Norita Mohd Noor, 48, said the floodwaters started swirling in her house at 8am today, following heavy rain overnight.

“Seeing the water level rising rapidly, I immediately jolted my son awake to quickly move his car to higher ground because it was already more than knee-deep at that time.”

Another resident, Shukri Ismail, 55, could only accept that it was too late to save his Proton Wira car as the floodwaters rose too quickly early in the morning.

“The last time our village was flooded was in 2014 during the yellow flood (wave of muddy water). I was really stunned because the water rose so suddenly, I had no time to move the car,” he said.