JOHOR BAHRU: The number of flood evacuees in the Malaysian state of Johor has increased dramatically after continuous heavy rain in the area over the past two days, authorities said on Sunday (Dec 15).
As of 8am on Sunday, the number of people evacuated from their homes stood at 3,835 in the southern state.
State government, urban well-being and environment committee chairman Tan Chen Choon said the number of victims had steadily increased compared to 2,853 people from 770 families recorded on Saturday night.
He added that heavy rain had also caused floods in Batu Pahat district, bringing the affected districts to seven.
However, a temporary evacuation centre - Kampung Melayu Batu Empat Paloh community hall in Kluang - was closed at 9 pm. He said all the evacuees were currently housed in 52 centres – 13 in Kota Tinggi, 10 in Mersing, 20 in Kluang, six in Segamat and one each in Kulai, Muar and Batu Pahat.
“The Mersing district recorded the highest number of evacuees at 1,262 from 352 families followed by Kota Tinggi with 1,071 people from 267 families,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
In Kota Tinggi, the four affected roads, namely, Jalan Batu 18, Jalan Ladang Pasir Logok-Ladang Bukit Berkelompok, Jalan Ladang Bukit Payong and Jalan Kampung Mawai Lama still inaccessible to all vehicles, he said.
He added that the Malaysian Meteorological Department had issued danger (red) weather warning for Mersing and Kota Tinggi while severe (orange) weather warning for Segamat, Muar, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Pontian, Kulai and Johor Bahru, and alert (yellow) level warning for Tangkak.
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...ople-displaced-after-floods-in-johor-12185400
