KOTA TINGGI A total of 124 victims are sheltering at two temporary relief centres as of noon Tuesday (Jan 27) because of a peatland fire covering about 12ha along Jalan Sungai Kapal in Taman Bayu Damai, Pengerang, here.
Johor state disaster management committee chairman Datuk Asman Shah Abd Rahman said the victims, from 45 families, are being housed at the Taman Bayu Damai Multipurpose Hall and SK Sungai Kapal.
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"A total of 89 people from 28 families are sheltering at the Taman Bayu Damai Multipurpose Hall.
"Meanwhile, 35 people from 17 families are at SK Sungai Kapal," he said in a statement.
State education and information committee chairman Aznan Tamin said schools in the affected area will be ordered to close if smoke from the fire pushes the Air Pollutant Index (API) to unhealthy levels
He said air monitoring devices will be set up at schools in and around Taman Bayu Damai that are at risk of being affected.
"The devices will monitor API readings and if the situation worsens, the affected schools will be instructed to close.
"At present, schools are operating as usual as the smoke has not reached them and we hope the relevant department will keep us informed.
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"If there is an increase in the API readings, the Kota Tinggi district Education office will take action, which may include closing the schools," he told reporters after visiting evacuees at the SK Sungai Kapal relief centre.
Aznan, who is also the Tanjung Surat assemblyman, said the 112 evacuees included eight students.
"They are attending school as usual but are given flexibility in terms of attire (as they may) not have... school uniforms.
"We are not (forcing) affected students to attend school as we do not want to burden them," he said.
On Monday (Jan 26), it was reported that the fire had spread from 5.26ha to 12.14ha in dry and windy conditions, which also resulted in thick smoke drifting into residential areas.
