KLUANG: More than 1,500 people have been stranded in several areas nearer here after floodwaters cut off the road leading to the area.
The victims included workers stranded across 14 plantations and 647 Orang Asli in six villages, namely Kampung Orang Asli Pucur, Peroh, Sengka, Air Pasir Batu 17, Berasau and Sedohok.
Police planned to send a helicopter with food aid to those stranded.
However, the weather was also delaying their efforts.
“We are unable to send aid today due to the current weather, and visibility is less than 1km, so we expect to send the aid tomorrow morning,” Johor Police Chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat told a press conference after visiting the SMK Kahang temporary relief centre here.
Comm Kamarul Zaman added that sending a helicopter would be the best option as the areas were remote and would take about two hours to reach by boat.
“Their areas are safe. It’s just that the road has been flooded and cannot be accessed by land vehicles,” he said, adding that the villagers had enough food supply for two days.
Comm Kamarul Zaman also stated that 8,000 police officers and policemen had been deployed to assist with rescue operations and monitor the situation in the flooded areas.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) had been told to ensure that all operational control centres at state and district levels were prepared for any eventuality.
“Based on the nationwide disaster report issued by the NDCC, as at 8am yesterday, there were three states affected by floods – Johor, Pahang and Sabah,” said Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions).
“Nadma has also been instructed to ensure that all disaster control centres are prepared and operate on a 24-hour basis to monitor the situation,” he said.
Armizan added that besides Segamat, the other districts in Johor hit by floods were Mersing, Kota Tinggi and Kluang.
“At the moment, Segamat is the worst-hit district. Nadma has also received a report that Sungai Gemas, Sungai Lenik and Sungai Segamat have reached the danger level,” he said.
