Despite clear skies, Johor MB tells Batu Pahat residents to brace for more floods

Malay Mail
Malay Mail

JOHOR BARU, March 6 — Residents of Batu Pahat should remain alert for more heavy rain and be prepared to evacuate in case of floods, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said despite signs of improving weather for most districts in the state today.

He said river water from Segamat is flowing down to Batu Pahat, which is located to the south-west.

“The water has risen slightly in the Sri Bengkal area.

“To those in Batu Pahat, my advice is that they still need to be observant and always prioritise safety,” said Onn Hafiz in his latest Facebook post.

He was briefed on the situation following his visit to the district with Parit Yaani assemblyman Datuk Mohamad Najib Samuri and Batu Pahat district officer Nasri Md Ali.

The flood situation in Johor is still critical with a total of 49,410 evacuees sheltering in 269 temporary relief centres as of this morning.

A total of 10 districts in the state are affected by floods, with Batu Pahat being the worst with a total of 20,767 victims.

This is followed by Segamat with 11,023 victims, Kluang (4,770), Muar (4,625), Tangkak (3,229), Kota Tinggi (3,160), Mersing (1,167), Johor Baru (327); Pontian (278) and Kulai (64).

Parts of Batu Pahat district, including the town, was cut off by floods yesterday.

Several roads were submerged, enabling only large and heavy vehicles or those with four-wheel drives to pass through.