Floods in Johor, Pahang worsen as number of victims continue to rise

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 -- The flood situation in Johor and Pahang has worsened this evening with the number of flood evacuees in relief centres rising drastically.

In JOHOR, the number of evacuees had risen to 6,557 people from 1,694 families in seven districts as of 4 pm compared to 6,284 evacuees from 1,628 families recorded at noon.

Johor state Health and Environment committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said four more evacuation centres were opened, bringing the total to 60 centres, four in Mersing,  Pontian (one), Kluang (19), Kota Tinggi (16), Johor Bahru (13), Kulai (five) and two in Batu Pahat.

Two centres, however, were closed, namely Balairaya Kampung Paya in Kluang and Dewan Raya Kampung Ulu Pulai in Pontian at 2 pm today.

According to Vidyananthan, Johor Bahru still has the highest number of evacuees with 2,452 individuals, followed by Kluang (1,990), Kota Tinggi (1,223), Kulai (581), Mersing (257), Batu Pahat (36) and Pontian (18).

In Kota Tinggi, Jalan Sungai Sayong at Jambatan Sungai Sayong, Jalan Tun Sri Lanang in Bandar Kota Tinggi, Jambatan Jalan Semangar and Jalan Mawai Lama were closed to all vehicles, while in Kluang, Jalan Batu Pahat-Mersing in Ladang Pak Loh as well as Jalan Batu Pahat-Kluang in Sekolah Menengah Kahang were closed to light vehicles, he said.

“Jalan Batu Pahat-Mersing at Pertubuhan Peladang Negeri Johor and Hock Huat is also closed to all vehicles and one lane of Jalan Kluang-Mersing in Kampung Contoh is closed due to a collapsed bridge. In Johor Bahru, Jalan Haji Suhud Taman Muhibbah is also closed following a collapsed bridge,” he added.

Meanwhile, the state’s Women, Family and Community Development committee chairman Zaiton Ismail said the state government will ensure the needs of all evacuees at relief centres are met throughout their time there, including for them to have adequate face masks and hand sanitiser.

She added that packed food would be provided to the evacuees three times a day.

In PAHANG, the number of flood evacuees jumped significantly in the evening with 3,273 individuals from 902 families housed in relief centres compared to 447 evacuees involving 119 families at noon today.

According to the Social Welfare Deparment disaster info website, nine districts in the state are affected by floods as of 6 pm today following continuous rain since yesterday.

The website also stated that Kuantan had the highest number of evacuees at 1,027 individuals followed by Maran (593), Raub (456), Jerantut (433), Rompin (358), Temerloh (273), Pekan (53), Bentong (45) and Lipis (35). 

In SELANGOR, 40 people from Kampung Baru A and Kampung Selisik in Hulu Bernam were also evacuated to two evacuation centres after their houses were inundated by floodwaters since last night.

“The floodwaters had risen to one to 1.2-metre high at the two villages. Seven people in a family from Kampung Baru A are now taking shelter at the village community hall, while four others from another family chose to stay with their relative.

“Twenty-nine people from 15 families in Kampung Selisik are housed at Selisik Community Hall,” Smart Selangor Command Centre spokesman told Bernama.

Anticipating that the number would continue rising tonight, he said the Command Centre would keep monitoring the situation and share the information from time to time.

In KUALA TERENGGANU, continuous heavy downpour in Hulu Dungun and Hulu Kemaman over the past two days had forced 138 people from 40 families to be evacuated to three evacuation centres this afternoon.

Head of State Disaster Management Committee secretariat Lt Col (PA) Che Adam A Rahman said of the total, 92 from 29 families were housed at two evacuation centres in Dungun, while 46 others from 11 families were at a centre in Kemaman.

The first centre in Dungun at Pasir Raja Community Centre was opened at 5.45 pm and the second at Kampung Shukor multipurpose hall at 6.25 pm, while the one in Kemaman at Teladas community hall was opened at 6.30 pm.

“Heavy rain still persist and villagers have been advised to follow all instructions given by the authorities should the need for them to evacuate arises,” he said in a statement here today.

For the record, this is the fifth wave of floods for Terengganu this season.

-- BERNAMA