Floods In Johor Worsens. What's Next?

After a general improvement in the last three days, the situation in flood stricken areas in Kota Tinggi and Johor Baharu took a turn for the worse again following intermittent rain since Monday night.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) had to shut down electricity in Kota Tinggi District as flood waters rose from 0.3m to 0.6m Tuesday night.

A spokesman from the Johor Police Flood Relief Centre said relief centres were reopened at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Pu Sze, Sengkang Hall, Kampung Lorong Arif Jamek Mosque, Sekolah Agama Cahaya Masai and Kampung Bukit Pulai Hall.

He said Kampung Laut, Batu 10 Skudai in Johor Baharu was inundated again with floodwater rising to chest level causing 700 residents to be evacuated to Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Pu Sze and another 200 to Kampung Lorong Arif Jamek Mosque, Skudai.

The total number of people evacuated in Johor as at 8 pm Tuesday night was 56,877, of which 1,208 were in Johor Baharu, Batu Pahat (24,315), Muar (20,344), Kota Tinggi (5,756), Segamat (3,813), Pontian (381), Mersing (694) and Kluang (366), he said.

The spokesman said that Jalan Kota Tinggi-Mersing at Km12 to Mawai was open to heavy vehicles while light vehicles could use Jalan Kota Tinggi-Desaru to go to Mersing via Felda Sungai Mas.

In Segamat, Jalan Batu 7 Segamat-Tangkak and Jalan Segamat-Gemas is closed to traffic while the stretches of roads closed in Muar are Km3 and Km7 Jalan Pagoh-Lenga, Jalan Bukit Kepong-Labis, Jalan Pagoh-Panchor, Batu 5 Jalan Sungai Mati-Muar and Jalan Muar-Tangkak at Pekan Layang.

In Batu Pahat several roads in Seri Medan were inaccessible namely Jalan Sungai Parit Sikun, Parit Terus and Jalan Seri Pasir. Jalan Muar-Yong Peng-Parit Sulong is impassable to traffic as it is under 0.5m of water.

Jalan Tongkang Pecah-Parit Jalil, Batu 5 Yong Peng-Parit Sulong and Jalan Parit Karjo-Senggarang are impassable to traffic while Parit Sulong is cut off from other areas as flood waters rose to 0.3m, said the spokesman.

He said the death toll in the state was still eight while rescuers made a frantic search for the missing supermarket helper Mohd Lokman Zakaria, 17, who was reported missing on the third day of the flood.

For the victims, the assistance given by government agencies and non-government organisations had eased their burden in coping up with the floods in the last nine days.

The announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that 33,000 students who were affected by the floods would receive financial aid to buy school uniforms and stationery was a welcome relief to the victims.

Najib who is also the National Disaster Management and Aid Committee Chairman said primary school students would receive RM100 each while secondary school students RM200 each.

The aid will be given before school reopens on Jan 3, he told reporters after visiting a flood relief centre at Sekolah Menengah Datuk Sulaiman, Parit Sulong, Batu Pahat, Johor.

In PAHANG, the number of flood victims seeking shelter at 16 relief centres in Rompin and Pekan districts as at 8 pm dropped to 2,085 compared to 2,699 Tuesday afternoon.

In MELAKA, the number of flood victims at relief centres dropped to 3,756 at 8 pm against 4,047 Tuesday afternoon.
Image - thenamesbee

***** Update 1PM: A 10-year-old boy was swept away by strong currents while playing in floodwaters in Kg. Parit, Simpang Lima, Muar, at about 12PM.

--- Damages caused by the floods to roads and bridges estimated at RM81 million so far, with Johor accounting for RM44 million - Datuk Seri Samy Vellu.

--- Latest from Bernama:
1) Residents In Flood Affected Areas Get Tap Water
2) Water In Parts Of Johor Rises, Pahang And Melaka Receding

--- Update 12/28/06:
1) Rain Forecast For Johor, South-eastern Pahang, East Coast Until Sunday
2) Prepare For Second Wave Of Floods, Says Najib

--- Update 12/29/06:
1) Johor Weather Uncertain, Pahang, Melaka Improving

--- Update 12/31/06:
1) More Evacuees Return Home As Situation In Flood-hit Areas Improves
2) 52,507 Flood Victims Still At Relief Centres In Johor

--- Update 1/1/07:
1) Joy Of Aidiladha Felt In Johor Despite Floods