JOHOR BARU: The number of flood evacuees rose to 1,167 people from 297 families at 8pm compared to 1,080 people from 271 families at 4pm on Saturday (Jan 1).

State Health and Environment Committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said that the victims were from Segamat and Tangkak, with 19 temporary relief centres (PPS) opened in Segamat and only one PPS in Tangkak.

“The continuous rain has affected about 20 villages in Segamat, where all of the victims have been transferred to 19 PPS in the district.

“The majority of the victims are from Kampung Tenang, with 267 people from 73 families that have been placed at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kampung Tenang,” he said in a statement here.

He added that, currently, only one PPS has been opened in Tangkak, namely Sekolah Agama Bandar Tangkak, which houses 31 people from seven families.

He also shared that four rivers have recorded dangerous levels – Sungai Kesang near Telok Rimba, and Sungai Tangkak near Kampung Seri Makmur, in Tangkak; and Sungai Segamat near Bandar Segamat and Sungai Lenik near Ladang Chaah in Segamat.

Sungai Kesang had risen to 3.19m over the dangerous level of 3.0m, Sungai Tangkak is now at 4.29m from 4.00m, Sungai Segamat is at 9.82m from 9.14m, and Sungai Lenik is at 5.78m from 5.50m.

Four roads have also been closed to all vehicles after being inundated with water, namely Jalan Kampung Orang Asli Peta and Jalan Kampung Orang Asli Punan in Mersing, Jalan Jabi at Kampung Bukit Tempurung, and Jalan Bangas at Kampung Simpang Loi in Segamat.