KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 1): Johor became the latest state to be hit by floods with eight relief centres (PPS) opened in Segamat to shelter 456 victims from 133 families as of 8am on Saturday (Jan 1).

The number of evacuees in four states also continued to rise, namely in Sabah, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Terengganu.

In Johor, state Health and Environment Committee chairman R Vidyananthan said the eight PPS were opened late Friday night following continuous downpour in the Segamat district since Friday.

“The PPS are at the Balai Raya Kampung Sermin; Balai Raya Kampung Lembah Bakti; Pekan Air Panas multipurpose hall; Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Ai Chun; Balai Raya Kampung Paya Leng; Balai Raya Kampung Paya Lebar; Balai Raya Kampung Gelang Chinchin; Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Tenang and Jalan Genuang multipurpose hall.

“The areas affected by the floods are Kampung Sermin; Kampung Lembah Bakti; Kampung Pekan Air Panas; Kampung Paya Lenga; Kampung Paya Lebar; Kampung Gelang Chinchin; Kampung Tenang and Kampung Sedeng,” he said in a statement on Saturday.

According to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) official flood information portal, the water level in Sungai Muar in Kampung Awat has exceeded the danger level at 20.11 metres while Sungai Lenik in Kampung Chaah was above the warning level at 5.58 metres, as of 8.15am.

In addition, the water level in Sungai Tangkak in Kampung Seri Makmur, Tangkak has also exceeded the danger level at 4.16 metres.

In Sabah, the number of Kota Marudu flood victims rose to 504 people from 167 families Saturday morning, compared to 73 people from 17 families Friday night, with one new PPS opened in SMK Tandek to house 253 victims from 97 families.

“The number of people being evacuated to the PPS continued to increase as the water level remain high. We are still monitoring the villages that have been flooded,” Sabah State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat said in a statement.

In Negeri Sembilan, state Civil Defence Force (APM) director Lt Col (PA) Mohd Syukri Madnor said a total of 138 victims from 41 families were currently housed at nine PPS including in Surau Kampung Gedok; SK Felda Palong 1 and Desa Bangi hall as of 8am.

State Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) also stated that some 295 individuals who were stranded in Felda Jelai 4 in Gemas; Kampung Tengah, Kampung Geduk, Kampung Tenai, and Kampung Baru Geduk in Gemencheh; Felda Palong 1 in Bahau; Kampung Kuala Johol, Kuala Pilah as well as Kampung Tanah Datar Hilir and Teha Homestay in Seri Menanti, had been rescued since Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, the number of evacuees in Kelantan recorded a slight increase to 1,129 from 1,128 individuals on Friday. They were placed at 18 PPS in three districts, namely 11 in Kuala Krai, six in Jeli and one in Tanah Merah, according to the Social Welfare Department (JKM) Info Bencana application.

The DID portal reported that only one major river in the state was at the danger level, namely Sungai Kelantan in Kuala Krai with a reading of 25.27 metres.

More people have been evacuated in Terengganu with 451 people from 128 families currently taking shelter at the PPS Saturday morning compared to 433 people from 123 families Friday night.

State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat, in a statement, said that another PPS has been opened in the Dungun district, namely in Kampung Minda community hall which houses 18 victims from five families, while the number of evacuees in three other PPS remained unchanged.

In Pahang, JKM Info Bencana application reported that a total of 2,030 victims were still at 32 PPS in six districts on Saturday morning.

The authorities have reopened seven more PPS in Raub as preparation to receive flood victims following continuous heavy rain, but only one PPS in SK Ulu Atok currently houses 35 people from eight families.

The DID portal also reported that two rivers were at the danger level and increasing, namely Sungai Lipis in Batu Malim, Raub and Sungai Serting in Padang Gudang, Bera.

Six rivers were at the warning level, namely Sungai Pahang in Paya Gintong, Jerantut; Sungai Dong in Kampung Peruas (Raub); Sungai Lipis in Benta (Lipis); Sungai Triang in Chemomoi (Bentong); Sungai Luit in Kampung Subuh, Maran; and Sungai Kechau in Kampung Dusun (Lipis).

In Selangor, the Meteorological Department forecast that Sabak Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor and Gombak would experience thunderstorms and heavy rain.

In Melaka, a total of 96 people from 29 families were relocated to two PPS after the Alor Gajah district was hit by the floods again Friday night.

State APM director Lt Col (PA) Cuthbert John Martin Quadra said 15 victims from eight families were placed at Balai Raya Gadek which was reopened at 3.30am while 81 people from 21 families are taking shelter at SMK Seri Pengkalan, which was reopened at 7am on Saturday.

He said another PPS has been reopened at SRA Jabatan Agama Islam Melaka Saturday morning and is currently managing the registration of flood victims.