Malaysia: Floods hit three districts in Johor

mohd farhaan shah The Star 1 Jan 18;

JOHOR BARU: The first day of the New Year brought flash floods to three districts in Johor, forcing 188 people to seek shelter at relief centres here.

Heavy downpour since late Sunday (Dec 31) evening caused floods to hit Labis, Kota Tinggi and Mersing on Monday.

State Health, Environment, Education and Information committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said 173 victims from 46 families in Mersing had been relocated to relief centres in the district.

He said among the affected villages were Taman Nakhoda, Air Papan, Kampung Tanjung Genting, Tenglu Besar, Kampung Kelantan near Endau and Air Tawar.

"About 51 people from 14 families in Kampung Orang Asli Segamat Kecil in Labis have been asked to return home after flood waters receded," he said.

Ayub said authorities were monitoring the weather as well as the flood situation in both Mersing and Kota Tinggi.

Meanwhile, Mersing Works Department on its Facebook page, said that part of Jalan Jemaluang-Mersing (FT003 section 130-129 in front of SMK Anjung Batu) was flooded and can only be used by heavy vehicles.

The department urged other vehicle users to use alternative routes such as Jalan Jemaluang/Kota Tinggi-Jalan Sri Pantai-Jalan Sekakap to Mersing town.

For more information, kindly contact JKR Mersing via its hotline at 07-7994040.


Wet start to New Year for several Johor districts hit by flash floods
Halim Said New Straits Times 1 Jan 18:

JOHOR BARU: It proved to be a wet start for the new year for residents of several areas in Johor, with a number of districts hit by flash floods today.

A continous downpour since noon led to floods in several low-lying areas in Kota Tinggi, Mersing and Segamat.

The worst-hit area was Mersing, where 173 people from 46 families had to be evacuated to five temporary flood relief centres when flood waters rose in the afternoon.

The affected areas in Mersing were Taman Nakhoda, Air Papan, Kampung Tanjung Genting, Kampung Tenglu Besar, Kampung Kelantan, Semanyir, Endau and Kampung Air Tawar.

All evacuees were brought to the respective relief centres as early as 1.45pm with the help of various agencies including the Civil Defence Force, Fire and Rescue Department, People's Volunteer Corp (Rela) and police.

Most of the flood victims were housed at SK Air Papan, which now houses 50 people from 15 families.

The situation was less severe in Kota Tinggi, as only one area in Bukit Raja was hit by flash floods. Ten people from three families had to seek shelter at the SK Teluk Ramunia relief centre.

Meanwhile, in Segamat, 51 people sought refuge on higher ground when waters rose in Kampung Segamat Kechil. However, the residents were able to return to their houses around 4pm when floodwaters receded.

Flash floods hit Mersing, Kuantan, river levels rising in Terengganu
Bernama New Straits Times 1 Jan 18;

JOHOR BARU: Two hundred and three people from 56 families in Mersing have been evacuated to five Temporary Evacuation Centres (PPS) when floods hit the district today.

Chairman of the Johor Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee, Datuk Ayub Rahmat said as of 9 pm, the evacuees comprised residents in Taman Nakhoda, Air Papan, Kampung Tanjung Genting, Kampung Tenglu Besar, Kampung Kelantan and Kampung Air Tawar.

"A total of 10 people from four families were evacuated to the PPS at Taman Nakhoda Community Hall which was opened at 1.45 pm, 50 people from 15 families to Sekolah Kebangsaan Air Papan, which was opened at 4.15 pm, while 34 people from 10 families to Sekolah Kebangsaan Tenglu, which was opened at 4.30 pm.

“40 people from six families were moved to Kampung Benaung Multipurpose Hall, which was opened at 4.45 pm, while 39 people from 11 families were sent to the Endau District Farmers’ Association building which was opened at 5.20 pm, “ he said in a statement to Bernama.

Ayub said those evacuated inlcudes 15 people from six families in Kampung Bukit Raja, Kota Tinggi, were evacuated to Sekolah Kebangsaan Telok Ramunia, which was opened at 9 am following flash floods.

He said the flood situation was being monitored by agencies like the Kota Tinggi Civil Defence Force, Royal Malaysia Police, the Village Development and Security Committee, and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage.

Meanwhile, the Mersing Public Works Department (JKR), through its Facebook, announced that Jalan Jemaluang-Mersing (FT003 Section 130-129 in front of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Anjung Batu) is flooded and opened only to heavy vehicles.

It said light vehicles would have to use the alternative route of Jalan Jemaluang/Kota Tinggi-Jalan Sri Pantai-Jalan Sekakap to Mersing town.

Members of the public can contact Mersing JKR at its hotline number 07-7994040 for further information.

In Kuantan, Hidir Reduan reports that the number of evacuees from a flash flood here increased to 34 victims from 14 families as at 9pm tonight.

The evacuees are 19 people from six families from Kampung Sri Damai, and 15 people from eight families from Kampung Pandan 2.

Pahang Civil Defence Force director Colonel Zainal Yusof said that currently there are two relief centres opened to shelter the victims.

"For affected villagers from Kampung Sri Damai, they were placed at the Sri Damai public hall, while affected residents from Kampung Pandan 2 were sheltered at the village's community centre.

"The evacuation were conducted by the Civil Defence Force with the cooperation of the police, the state Fire and Rescue Department and the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK)," he said tonight.

Zainal said that the Civil Defence Force does not discount the possibility of more evacuations as midnight approaches due to the uncertain weather.

He cautioned that heavy downpour at several locations in the district would heighten risk of flash floods at low-lying areas.

Meanwhile the water level in Sungai Dungun at Kampung Pasir Raja has exceeded the danger level, while Sungai Kemaman at Jambatan Air Putih in Kemaman, has exceeded the warning level, according to the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) portal publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my.

At Sungai Dungun, the measurement was 37.75 metres at 6.45 pm (danger level is .37.50m), and at Sungai Kemaman, it was 13.29m, which exceeded the warning level (13.25m).

Several other rivers also showed rising water level. They are Sungai Besut in Kampung La, Sungai Nerus in Kampung Langkap, Setiu, Sungai Tebak at Tebak Bridge, Kemaman and Sungai Berang in Kampung Menerong.

The water in the affected rivers has exceeded the alert level, though still below the warning level.

However, in Sungai Dungun at Kuala Jengai, the water was still below the alert level.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department today issued a warning that heavy rain and strong winds were expected to hit Dungun and Kemaman in Terengganu, Kuantan (Pahang) and Kota Tinggi, Johor until tomorrow. — BERNAMA