Johor, Melaka see rise in flood evacuees

There was an increase in the number of flood victims in Johor and Melaka this morning, while the situation in Terengganu, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Sabah remained largely unchanged.

The Irrigation and Drainage Department said in a statement that nine rivers in flood-affected states had recorded dangerous water levels as of 7am: three rivers in Pahang, three in Johor, one in Negeri Sembilan and two in Melaka.

In Johor, the number of flood victims in the seven affected districts increased to 5,479 people this morning compared with 4,737 yesterday.

Segamat recorded the highest number of flood victims at 4,016, followed by Mersing (548), Tangkak (434), Kota Tinggi (210), Batu Pahat (107), Kluang (106) and Muar (58).

State health and environment committee chairman R Vidyananthan said five new relief centres (PPS) were opened late last night and early this morning in Mersing, Batu Pahat, Muar and Tangkak, bringing the total number of PPS in the state to 78.

In Melaka, the number of evacuees rose to 2,674 people as of 8am today from 2,591 people yesterday.

A total of 994 evacuees were placed at nine PPS in Alor Gajah, 1,425 people at nine PPS in Melaka Tengah and 255 at four PPS in Jasin.

State Civil Defence Force director Cuthbert John Martin Quadra said they were from 14 areas in Alor Gajah, nine areas in Melaka Tengah and 11 areas in Jasin.

In Terengganu, the state disaster management committee secretariat said the number of flood victims increased slightly this morning to 19 people compared to 10 people yesterday after one PPS was opened at SK Lembah Jabor, Kemaman last night.

In Pahang, the state disaster management committee secretariat reported that there were 2,564 evacuees at 46 PPS in Kuantan, Rompin, Raub, Jerantut, Lipis, Bera, Maran, Temerloh and Pekan this morning.

It said 17 roads in seven districts had been closed, including Jalan Bohor Baru and Jalan Kemayan-Tembangau in Bera; Jalan Kampung Wau/Kertau, Jalan Serengkam (Maran); Jalan Kampung Aur, Jalan Kampung Lubuk Batu (Rompin); Jalan Mentiga Terapai, Jalan Pelak-Belimbing (Pekan); Jalan Pulau Tawar-Durian Hijau, Jalan Batu Embun-Tebing Tinggi (Jerantut) and Jalan Air Hitam (Kuantan).

In Negeri Sembilan, updates on the Welfare Department’s InfoBencana application showed that the number of flood victims at 21 PPS in the state had dropped to 1,795 people from 498 families compared with 1,967 from 540 families last night.

In Selangor, the number of evacuees remained the same at 40 people: 25 at Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Kelanang and 15 at Balai Raya Majlis Pengurusan Komuniti Kampung Banting in Kuala Langat.

In Sabah, the number of flood victims at 30 PPS dropped slightly to 3,310 people this morning compared to 3,329 people last night.

The state disaster management secretariat said Kota Marudu had the highest number of evacuees at 2,653, followed by Pitas (296), Telupid (172) , Sandakan (46) Beluran (41) and Paitan (102).