Mersing latest district to be hit by floods in Johor, 366 residents evacuated
JOHOR BARU, Jan 3 — Mersing is the latest district in Johor to be hit by floods, with 366 people from 90 families who had displaced evacuated to six temporary evacuation centres late yesterday.
Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said the flood victims from Kampung Che Wok, Kampung Sri Pantai, Kampung Orang Asli Peta, Kampung Tenglu Besar and Kampung Tenglu Laut were evacuated since yesterday evening.
He said more flood victims from Kampung Air Papan Tengah, Kampung Air Papan, Kampung Sawah Dato, Kampung Lubuk, Kampung Pengkalan Batu and Kampung Jemari were later evacuated.
“The flood victims were transferred to temporary evacuation centres located at Balai Raya Sri Pantai, SK Sri Pantai, Kompleks Taman Negara Endau-Rompin, SK Tenglu, SK Air Papan and Politeknik Mersing from 6pm to 11pm yesterday.
“Besides that, there is also an increase in flood victims in several other districts such as Segamat and Kluang, while the number of victims in Tangkak, Kota Tinggi and Johor Baru remain the same,” said Vidyananthan in a statement issued here today.
Vidyananthan said the total number of flood victims in Johor involving all seven districts continued to increase to 3,841 at 8am compared to 3,665 at 4am today.
He explained that the number involved 1,008 families who are currently housed in 62 Temporary evacuation centres with the highest flood victims being from Segamat involving 3,178 out of 828 families.
Meanwhile, Vidyananthan said three roads in Segamat were closed to vehicles including Jalan Putting to Kampung Putting, Jalan Tumang to Tumang and Jalan Kuala Balai Badang to Kampung Balai Badang.
He added that two other roads in the district, involving Jalan Felda Medoi to Surau Kampung Logah and Jalan Jabi Kampung Bukit Tempurung to Kampung Bukit Tempurung were opened only for heavy vehicles.
“In Mersing, the roads leading to Kampung Orang Asli Peta and Kampung Orang Asli Punan are still closed to all vehicles,” said Vidyananthan.
Yesterday, Johor became the latest state to be hit by floods with the number of evacuees rising steadily since Saturday due to continuous downpour on Friday night.
According to authorities, three rivers in Johor — Sungai Segamat, Sungai Muar and Sungai Tangkak — have exceeded critical levels since yesterday.
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