A total of 559 flood victims are still housed at seven temporary relief centres in Penang after their homes were flooded following several hours of heavy rain early yesterday morning.

Penang Fire and Rescue Department public relations officer Penang Fire and Rescue Department said that as of 9am, all flood victims were placed at temporary relief centres in five districts in the state.

"Three temporary evacuation centres in the the South West district to shelter 367 flood victims were opened at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Pinang (195 victims), at Dewan Perda in Teluk Kumbar (150 victims) and at Dewan JKKK in Jalan Baru (22 victims).

"The district was the most affected by the floods and flood waters in some areas such as Sungai Pinang, Bukit Kechil, Balik Pulau, Jalan Baru and Teluk Kumbar have started to recede," he said in a statement here today.

He said in the North East district, only one relief centre was opened at Sekolah Menengah Heng EE to house 14 senior citizens from an old folks home in George Town affected by the floods yesterday.

Azman said a temporary relief centre in Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) was opened at the Al-Taquwa Mosque Hall and 12 people including two male babies were still housed there after they were evacuated at 2pm yesterday after their homes were flooded.

He said 31 flood victims, including a baby girl in Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) were placed at the Kampung Permatang Pasir Community Hall and the relief centre was opened at 10pm after floods in the area did not recede.

"In South Seberang Perai district, 175 flood victims were housed at the Jawi Multipurpose Hall, Nibong Tebal since 6.15pm yesterday and this is the second time floods had hit the area within a week," he said.

Meanwhile, checks by Bernama found the victims in Kampung Dodol and Jalan P. Ramlee in George Town who were among the hardest hit yesterday, taking advantage of the weekend to clean up their homes after flood waters rose up to almost two metres yesterday.

-- BERNAMA