JOHOR BARU – The Civil Defence Force (CDF) denied claims that the Sg Sembrong Dam gates in Batu Pahat were opened following flash floods that occurred in Sri Gading after it went viral via the WhatsApp application yesterday.
Johor Civil Defence director assistant commissioner (PA) Kamal Mokhtar said so far his side had never issued any statement on the matter although a viral WhatsApp message has claimed otherwise.
“WhatsApp claims said that the CDF informed that the dam gate had been opened due to flash floods in Batu Pahat but we have not received any such information. We deny that it happened. The viral message was fake,” he said when contacted by Bernama last night.
Earlier, a viral message on WhatsApp claimed that CDF had opened the gates of the Sg Sembrong Dam following flash floods due to high tide and heavy rain yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, the secretariat of the Batu Pahat District Disaster Management Committee notified that 163 residents from 38 families from Taman Sri Panchor, Kg Sengkuang, Kg Baru Sri Gading, Pekan Seri Gading and Kg Seri Tanjung in Batu Pahat were placed at a relief centre in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sri Gading.
According to the statement, the centre was opened and started operating at 1pm yesterday to house all the victims.
“The number of victims, 163 people from 38 families, is the official number of residents involved in the flash flood as of 8pm. The flash floods in five locations occurred due to heavy rain from 1.30am to 4am, and high tide,” said the statement.
Earlier, Batu Pahat district police chief Ismail Dollah reportedly said that an estimated 600 residents in several areas of Sri Gading were relocated to PPS SMK Sri Gading after their homes were flooded early yesterday morning. – Bernama, September 15, 2022
