JOHOR BARU: Batu Pahat is the latest district to be hit by floods in Johor, bringing the total number of districts affected by floods to seven as of noon on Monday (Jan 3).

       State health and environment committee chairman R. Vidyananthan (pic) said the number of victims seeking refuge at temporary relief centres had also increased to 4,062 people from 1,064 families.

       He said the figures went up from 3,841 people from 1,008 families at 8am, and the number of relief centres was now 64, up from 62 in the morning.

       Vidyananthan said the other six districts affected by floods are Johor Baru, Kota Tinggi, Kluang, Segamat, Tangkak and Mersing.

       "Forty-two people from 11 families are now taking shelter at Balairaya Kampung Hj Kamisan in Batu Pahat," he said in a statement.

       Vidyananthan said Segamat recorded the highest number of victims with 3,284 people from 853 families at 47 relief centres, followed by Mersing with 371 people from 94 families at six centres and 174 people from 51 families at Kota Tinggi seeking shelter at three centres.

       He said there were 123 victims from 33 families in Tangkak at three centres, Kluang with 66 people from three families at three centres, and two people from one family in Johor Baru at one centre.

       Vidyananthan said four rivers in the state were at dangerous levels, namely Sungai Segamat at 10.31m up from 9.14m; Sungai Lenik in Segamat at 6.89m from 6m; Sungai Tangkak at Kampung Seri Makmur at 4.45m from 4m; and Sungai Pogoh, Kampung Olak Sepam in Muar at 2.38m from 2.35m.

       He said nine roads in Segamat were closed to all vehicles – Jalan Kuala Paya, Balai Badang; Jalan Putting; Jalan Jabi, Kampung Bukit Tempurung; Jalan Tumang, Jalan Serakek, Jalan Tungku Tiga; Jalan Pogoh, Kampung Limau Nipis; Jalan Felda Medoi; and Jalan Senai-Gemas near the Ajiya Glass factory.

       Vidyananthan said four flood victims who were Covid-19 positive were transferred to the relief centre at Dewan Serbaguna Jalan Genuang at 11.30am on Monday from Kampung Batu Bakar, Buloh Kasap.

       "They are a 32-year-old male, a 31-year-old female and two girls aged two four," he said.