Malaysia: Flood situation in Johor worsens

nelson benjamin The Star 14 Jan 18;

JOHOR BARU: Continuous rainfall over the past few days has worsened the flood situation in Johor, and forced the evacuation of 1,395 people in three districts.

State health, environment, education and information committee chairman Datuk Ayob Rahmat said that as of 8am Sunday, the worse hit districts were Mersing with 1,261 victims, Segamat (103) and Kota Tinggi (31).

All the victims have been housed in 13 evacuation centres.

He said there were several road diversions in Mersing due to a landslip along Jalan Telok Arong.

He added that floodwaters have cut off access to Kg Batu 7 in Jementah.

"Three schools in Kluang - SK Punan, SK Ladang Mutiara and SK Seri Sedohok - have also been cut off due to the floods," said Ayob.


Floods worsen in Pahang, Johor and Sabah
The Star 13 Jan 18;

KUANTAN: Continuous rain over two days has worsened Pahang’s flood situation, forcing authorities to open another evacuation centre in Rompin.

The number of flood victims in the state increased to 357 people as compared to 318 the night before, after 39 people moved to the centre at Leban Chondong community hall.

Pahang Civil Defence Force director Kol Zainal Yusof told Bernama 64 people were still at an evacuation centre at SK Tekek, Pulau Tioman.

In Pekan, 254 victims remained at five centres due to stagnant flood waters.

Johor Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said 28 people from seven families have been moved to the evacuation centre at SK Air Papan in Mersing.

Another 34 from eight families were being sheltered at Balai Raya Kampung Tenglu, he said in a statement.

He added that a lane at Jalan Telok Arong in the same district has been closed to traffic due to a landslip but sections of the road were still accessible.

In Segamat, 46 people from 14 families are at Balairaya Gemereh, Balai Badang, while another 10 from two families are at Balairaya Kampung Pogoh Tengah.

In Sabah, rising water levels of the main river in Pitas district forced 10 people from three families to remain at the evacuation centre at Kampung Sinukab Kinabongan.

The Malaysian Civil Defence Force said two villages – Kampung Kabatasan Laut and Kampung Masin Besar Kanibongan – were still flooded.

Sarawak had to temporarily close one of its schools, SK Sungai Kelabit in Miri, due to floods which affected the school field, teachers quarters, generator shed and preschool.

The path to the school, which has 19 pupils, seven teachers and two administrative staff was also too dangerous to use.

Four other schools – SK Kuala Kenyana, SK Kuala Bok, SK Sungai Bong and SK Sungai Anak – were also affected by floods but the pupils were still able to continue studying.


More than 2,000 evacuated in Malaysia's Pahang and Johor as floods worsen
Straits Times 13 Jan 18;

KUANTAN - More than 2,000 people have been evacuated to flood relief shelters in Malaysia as a result of continuous rains in several states over the past few days.

The coastal areas of Pahang and Johor have been most affected, with Pahang recording the highest number of evacuees.

Continuous rain brought by the north-east monsoon over the past two days had worsened the flood situation in those states.

At least 1,457 people have been evacuated in Pahang as of Saturday (Jan 13), the national news agency Bernama reported. Those evacuated are being housed at 14 temporary relief centres.

The district of Pekan made up the most number of evacuees, with 1,210 people currently being housed at 10 relief centres. The districts of Rompin and Raub have also been hit by floods.

Over in Johor, at least 1,000 people have been evacuated so far. Most of them were from the districts of Segamat and Mersing.

In Mersing, some 965 people have been evacuated as of Saturday afternoon, compared to 530 in the morning. They are being housed at seven temporary relief centres.

In Segamat, there were 97 evacuees.

Over 1,000 evacuated from floods in Johor, Pahang and Terengganu
The situation in the state of Sabah improved on Saturday afternoon. All 10 evacuees affected by the rising water levels at the main river in Pitas district have since returned home.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued a severe weather warning for several areas in Johor and Pahang until midnight.

Meanwhile, most of the states in peninsular Malaysia will experience temperatures lower than normal owing to overcast skies, continuous rain and a cold front from the north-east monsoon winds until Sunday.

Number of Pahang flood victims swell following incessant downpour
HIDIR REDUAN New Straits Times 12 Jan 18;

KUANTAN: A continuous downpour saw the number of flood evacuees in Pahang balloon to 1,290 victims from 331 families, sheltered at 12 relief centres in Pekan and Rompin tonight.

As at 10pm, the latest figure represents an increase from the 738 victims from 188 families sheltered at 10 flood relief centres in the two districts earlier at 5pm.

State Civil Defence Force director Col. Zainal Yusoff said that the number of victims in Pekan increased to 1,165 people from 297 families placed at 10 relief centres.

"Another two relief centres (in Pekan) were opened this afternoon, namely SK Permatang Keledang with 322 victims from 13 families; and SK Sri Biram (51 people from 13 families).

"Asides from that, other flood relief centres in Pekan are SK Seri Mutiara with 375 victims from 94 families; SMK Peramu Jaya (121 people from 35 families); SK Temai (93 people from 24 families); and the Pulau Manis flood relief centre (75 people from 22 families).

"Other flood shelters are the Kampung Lamir flood relief centre with 50 people from seven families; Tanjung Pulai Multipurpose Hall (39 people from five families); and SK Acheh (nine people from two families)," he said tonight.

With regards to Rompin, Zainal said 125 victims from 34 families had been placed in two relief centres since yesterday.

He said the flood shelters are SK Tekek with 63 people from 15 families and Leban Chondong Public Hall (62 people from 19 families).

Checks with the online portal infobanjir.water.gov.my showed that as at 10pm, three rivers in the state have exceeded the warning level, which increases risk of surrounding areas becoming inundated.

The three rivers are Sungai Pahang at Paloh Hinai, Pekan, with a reading of 10.17m (10.30m is the danger level); Sungai Lipis at Batu Malim, Lipis at 114.29m (114.80 is the danger level); and Sungai Belat at Seri Damai here at 4.20 (5.00m is the danger level).