Bernama 1 Feb 11;
LABIS, Feb 1 (Bernama) -- A day after returning from his official visit to Abu Dhabi, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor on Tuesday visited evacuated flood victims at some relief centres in Johor.
The prime minister who arrived in Labis at 1.30pm, said that based on the briefing he received on the latest flood situation, the worst in Johor was apparently over.
"But we must be on guard. The extraordinary weather phenomenon has diverted to other areas, to the waters in the south.
"We have to be cautious always as climate change can cause floods," he said at a press conference after visiting flood evacuees at the Kampung Ayer Panas community hall, here.
Sunny, clear skies in Johor since morning on Tuesday enabled many flood evacuees to return to their homes, while 40,000 others are still at several relief centres throughout the state.
Also present at the press conference were Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Johor State Secretary Datuk Abdul Latiff Yusof.
According to the prime minister, the flood that hit Johor was due to the unusual weather phenomenon where the amount of rainfall received in the state in a day was equivalent to that received in two months.
"The high amount of rainfall was unexpected," he said, adding that the unusual phenomenon was caused by global warming.
On preparations to handle the flood in Johor, Najib said he was satisfied with the Johor government's quick action as well as the central government agencies' assistance in evacuating the flood victims.
He said the quick response was the result of the existing close cooperation between the state and federal governments.
The operations include ensuring enough food supplies, blankets and mats for the flood victims, besides medicines and medical treatment for those evacuees who need them.
From his visit to the Kampung Ayer Panas community hall, one of the flood relief centres, Najib said the flood victims at the flood relief centres in Johor were given fresh food like fish, chicken and beef.
On compassionate aid for flood victims in Johor, he said it would be given to those eligible after this.
The National Security Council will determine the amount of aid to be given to the affected families according to a set formula.
Ahmad Zahid said 20 army platoons as well as equipment were deployed to assist the flood victims in Johor.
During the visit to the Kampung Ayer Panas relief centre, Rosmah also handed a RM30,000 contribution from Bakti (Welfare Body of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers) to the Johor Menteri Besar's wife Prof Datin Paduka Dr Jamilah Ariffin for the flood victims.
-- BERNAMA
Flood: 50,000 Evacuated, Mostly In Johor
Bernama 1 Feb 11;
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 (Bernama) -- About 50,000 people have been evacuated to flood relief centres, mostly in Johor, as floods continue to inundate low-lying districts in several states.
The death toll remained at three as at noon, two in Johor and one in Melaka.
In Johor, 45,145 flood victims from 11,104 families are currently housed at 267 relief centres, according to the Johor state government's official portal, www.johordt.gov.my.
The state flood operations room reported that as at 10am, Segamat recorded the highest number of evacuees at 19,441 from 4,791 families, followed by Kluang, with 9,239 victims from 2,449 families.
There are also 2,736 victims in Johor Baharu, 2,445 in Muar, 2,629 in Batu Pahat, 658 in Pontian, 2,438 in Kota Tinggi, 99 in Mersing, 4,312 in Ledang and 1,148 in Kulaijaya.
Of the number of evacuation centres, Segamat has 93, Kluang (45), Johor Baharu (17), Muar (22), Batu Pahat (28), Pontian (nine), Kota Tinggi (19), Mersing (one), Ledang (26) and Kulaijaya (seven).
Several roads in Segamat remained closed, namely Mile 8, Jalan Muar-Segamat, Sungai Penarah bridge at Km 63 Jalan Muar-Segamat, Km 217 of Johor Baharu-Seremban in Taman Anggerik and the road to Felda Redong due to bridge collapse.
In Kluang, the road affected are at Km 79 to Km 81 of Jalan Kluang-Mersing and Km 75 of Jalan Kluang-Jemaluang while in Kota Tinggi the road closure is at Km 3 of Jalan Kampung Kelantan-Panti.
In MELAKA, the number of flood evacuees in Melaka rose to 4,545 people at 8am today from 2,889 at 9pm last night.
They are currently housed at 31 evacuation centres, most of them in Alor Gajah, with 2,163 people in 10 centres, followed by Jasin with 1,254 people in 14 centres and Melaka Tengah, totalling 1,128 in seven centres.
The weather was fine throughout the state this morning, a spokesman at the flood operations room said.
He said the Welfare Department was providing assistance in terms of food while other agencies such as the armed forces, Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Defence Department were involved in the evacuation process.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali is making his rounds at the centres to ensure assistance were provided to the victims.
Roads in Taman Merdeka, Angkasa Nuri and Pasar Borong, all in Batu Berendam, are still closed to all vehicles.
In KUANTAN, about 800 people from three districts were evacuated to relief centres from 538 last night.
A police spokesman said 15 villages in Rompin, Raub and Bentong were hit by the flood while the flood in Maran had subsided and all the 55 flood victims allowed to return home.
"There are 476 flood victims in Rompin, 229 in Raub and 95 in Bentong," he said when contacted.
Several roads in Bera and Rompin were closed to all vehicles, he said.
The roads are Jalan Ladang Hwali, Jalan Ladang Trading, Jalan Kampung Baru Bukit Ibam, Sungai Gayung bridge, Kampung Lubuk Batu bridge in Rompin and the alternative road from Kampung Pasal to Felda Palong 8 near Muadzam Shah.
In SEREMBAN, a total of 2,259 people from 441 families are still at 24 evacuation centres in four districts in the state.
Tampin flood operations room spokesman said 12 evacuation centres were opened at the district, housing 1,718 people as at 11am.
Other areas affected by the floods are Jempol with 418 evacuees, Kuala Pilah with 100 evacuees and Rembau with 23 evacuees.
The evacuation centre in Kepis Hilir was closed at 9am.
-- BERNAMA
