KUALA LUMPUR – The floods that hit several states have claimed another life today, while three others are feared drowned.
Ikmal Hakimi Mahasan, 20, a student of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia who was reported missing yesterday, was found drowned in Kg Bentong here this afternoon.
He is the third to have died in the floods after Halijah Majid, 59, was found drowned last Saturday after she fell into a drain in Kg Contoh near Kluang, Johor. Muhamad Amsyar Mohd Zamri, 5, drowned after falling into Sg Jerong Bikam in Sungkai, Perak, yesterday.
Meanwhile, Rozi Omar, 52, and her daughter Zakirah Ahmad Husin, 19, are feared drowned after the boat they were in capsized in Sg Jelai, Kg Bertang in Lipis, Pahang while on their way back home. Her husband and another child who were also with them managed to escape to safety.
So far, another victim, Md Rajihan Junaidi, 28, who went missing on Saturday after he was swept away by the currents while in a Proton Waja at Batu 18, Jalan Batu Pahat-Mersing near Kluang, Johor, has still not been found.
Presently, the five states that have been hit by floods following heavy rains are Johor, Terengganu, Perak, Kelantan and Selangor, and as of this evening, the situation has improved in Johor only, which saw a drop in the number evacuees at the relief centres. Kelantan’s number of evacuees remains unchanged.
Though the number of evacuees in Johor has decreased, the situation in Kota Tinggi is still worrying as the town centre has been inundated with floodwaters up to 2m deep, with some still left stranded.
According to Kota Tinggi district police chief Hussin Zamora, the floods in the town area were also caused by high tides in Sg Kota Tinggi on Saturday. This is expected to last until Wednesday.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department today predicted severe weather with heavy rains that are expected to continue until tomorrow in Terengganu, Pahang and Johor.
Meanwhile, the East Coast Expressway stretch at Km198 between Gambang and Sri Jaya was reopened to vehicles after the water receded, but another stretch – Km84.6 to Km84.7 –was closed today.
Meanwhile, Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah advises the public to not share pictures or videos of major floods from previous years as this can cause public panic. – Bernama, January 4, 2021
