Volunteers cleaning up a multi-purpose hall that was affected by the floods in Batu Pahat.
JOHOR BARU: Another nine families affected by the floods in Batu Pahat have returned home in the past 12 hours as at 8am Friday (March 24).
The Johor Disaster Management Committee said the number of flood evacuees in the district continued to dip wtih 419 people from 113 families at temporary relief centres (PPS) as at 8am Friday, compared to 439 victims from 122 families recorded at 8pm Thursday (March 23).
Five PPS are still operational to shelter the victims - SK Seri Medan, Sekolah Agama Seri Bertam, Yong Peng multipurpose hall, SJKC Hua Min and Sekolah Agama Seri Comel.
“Some of the areas still flooded are Parit Yusof, Kampung Haji Kamisan, Taman Selatan, Taman Melur, Taman Desa Suria, Kampung Parit Awang, Kampung Parit Sri Pasir, Taman Flora Jaya, Sri Wangsa, Parit Haji Ahmad and Parit Sulong.
“The water level at the Bekok dam near Sungai Bekok stands at 19m, which has been classified as warning level (orange), as the danger level is 19.20m,” the statement said, adding that fine weather has been reported statewide.
It added that the previously closed Jalan Kota Tinggi-Kluang has been reopened to all vehicles and only three roads remain closed - Jalan Lingkaran Kahang Barat and Jalan GSA Chamek in Kluang as well as Jalan Ulu Tebrau-Sungai Tiram in Kulai.
The Star reported on March 21 that the floods in Batu Pahat were not receding because of the bowl-shaped terrain with a wide floodplain area, which leaves the murky waters trapped, according to Johor Irrigation and Drainage Department director Azren Khalil.
Batu Pahat’s gentle gradient makes the water remain stagnant during high tides or floods as the waters have nowhere to flow, he added.
The government has mobilised water pumps to remove the stagnant water from such inundated areas into the river.
