KUALA LUMPUR – 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 is up to 6,391 people from 1,641 families at 8pm.
The number of displaced people in the state has steadily gone up throughout the day.
Johor state Health and Environment committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said that at 4pm, 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 all evacuees will be taken care of.
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 Smart Selangor Command Centre spokesman told Bernama that the number of flood evacuees in the state is expected to go up. – Bernama, January 3, 2021
