KOTA TINGGI: Three roads in the Kota Tinggi district have been closed to light vehicles due to rising water level following continuous heavy rain since early this morning.
Kota Tinggi district officer Hazlina Jalil said the three roads were Jalan Ladang Siang, Jalan Lok Heng-Sungai Mas and Jalan Perani.
“However, no main road has been closed so far.”
In addition to these three roads in Kota Tinggi, Jalan Senai-Gemas and Jalan Jabi-Bukit Tempurung in Segamat were also closed to all vehicles.
The floods in Kota Tinggi occurred following continuous rain since last night and the high tide, Hazlina said after visiting the flood victims at a temporary relief centre (PPS) at Dewan Taman Desaru Utama here.
One of the affected residents, Johari Dol, 67, said the water level rose very quickly.
“We have been affected by floods three times now, but this time is the worst. The water rose fast and reached our thigh level inside the house and it was at waist level on the road.”
He blamed the flooding on a new housing estate nearby.
Housewife Zaleha Abdul Rahman, 36, who has lived in the area for the past nine years, said that most residents were prepared for the floods after the Malaysian meteorological department issued a heavy rain warning yesterday.
The state disaster management committee said as of 8pm the number of flood victims in Johor had risen to 1,703 in contrast with 1,093 recorded at 4pm. Three more PPS were opened in the districts of Kota Tinggi, Kluang and Segamat bringing the total to 16.
Segamat is the most affected district with 1,229 victims from 325 families housed at eight PPS.
For the Kluang district, 300 people from 84 families were evacuated to six PPS while 174 residents from 40 families in the Kota Tinggi district were evacuated to two PPS.
Meanwhile, data from the irrigation and drainage department showed that four rivers in Johor have passed the danger level with the water level rising.
These were Sungai Muar (river mouth of Sungai Gemas) at 19.06 metres, Sungai Lenik (Chaah Plantation) at 6.66 metres, Sungai Segamat (Segamat Kecil) at 38.06 metres and Sungai Kahang (Kampung Contoh) at 14.7 metres.
Meanwhile, firemen were summoned to rescue 35 people camping in Tanjung Lompat, Kota Tinggi, trapped by flooding.
Penawar fire and rescue station chief Masri Ibrahim said a distress call was received at 2.19pm today.
“The drainage and irrigation bank, which is the main gateway in and out of the campsite, collapsed due to the rising floodwaters. This made it difficult for vehicles to get out of the area.
“We opened an alternative route nearby at a hotel for the 16 stranded vehicles at the campsite to use the coastal road to exit to the main road,” he said.
Masri said the victims comprised 12 men, 11 women, seven boys and five girls.
In Kota Kinabalu, 65 people from 16 families in Paitan were evacuated to nearby PPS at 8pm after floods hit their homes.
They are at Dewan Kampung Kumbambangan and Dewan Kampung Batangon Darat. - FMT
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