KOTA TINGGI – Efforts to evacuate people stranded due to flooding in the Kota Tinggi town centre by the Civil Defence Force and Fire and Rescue Department are ongoing.
A Bernama check found most parts of the town centre inundated with water up to 2m-deep and impassable to all vehicles.
Most of those trapped in the town centre are those living in shophouses or traders operating shops, while all commercial activities have stopped due to the flooding, said to be one of the worst to hit Kota Tinggi since 2006.
Meanwhile, Kota Tinggi district police chief Hussin Zamora said the floods in the town area were also caused by high tide in Sg Kota Tinggi on Saturday.
He said the flood situation is expected to last until Wednesday, and police are carrying out rescue efforts according to information received by the Kota Tinggi flood operation centre.
The flood operation centre has been activated, with personnel from the police, CDF and Fire and Rescue Department deployed to assist flood victims and evacuate them to temporary relief centres (PPS).
Hussin added that those in need of the services of private boats to enter the downtown area for the purpose of removing goods from their premises are required to obtain police permission first.
He said this is to avoid untoward incidents as the town centre, now identified as a high-risk area, as well as to safeguard property in the area.
Kota Tinggi has so far recorded 2,029 evacuees from 514 families currently being housed in 20 PPS.
As at noon today, the number of flood victims in Johor dropped to 6,991 people in eight districts. – Bernama, January 4, 2021
