JOHOR BARU: The number of victims seeking shelter at temporary relief centres (PPS) in eight districts affected by floods in Johor has risen.

       State Health and Environment committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said there were 4,278 people from 1,130 families taking shelter at 70 PPS as of 4pm on Monday (Jan 3).

       Earlier, 4,062 people from 1,064 families were taking shelter at 64 centres in seven districts which were affected by the floods.

       "Muar is now the latest district to be hit by floods with 52 people from 14 families at two PPS," Vidyananthan said in a statement.

       He said the centres in Muar are Dewan Serbaguna Felcra Bukit Kepong with two families and 11 people, and Dewan Semai Bakti Felda Maokil housing 41 victims from 12 families.

       Vidyananthan said the majority of the flood victims were from Segamat with 3,344 people from 872 families at 47 PPS; Mersing with 395 people from 101 families at six PPS, and Kota Tinggi with 203 people from 60 families at three PPS.

       He said Tangkak has 161 victims from 45 families; Kluang with 71 people from 23 families at three PPS; Batu Pahat with 50 people from 14 families, and Johor Baru with two people from one family.

       Vidyananthan said seven rivers in the state are at dangerous levels as of 4pm on Monday compared with four rivers at noon.

       The rivers were Sungai Muar in Kampung Awat at 21.96m; Sungai Muar in Buloh Kasap at 10.52m; Sungai Segamat at 10.36m and Sungai Lenik, Ladang Chaah with 6.88m, all in Segamat; Sungai Muar at Kampung Olak Sepam in Muar with 2.51m; Sungai Kesang in Kampung Seri Makmur, Tangkak at 4.44m, and a river in Kampung Muafakat, Johor Baru at 3.29m.

       He said roads in Segamat, namely Jalan Kuala Paya, Balai Badang; Jalan Putting, Jalan Jabi Kampung Bukit Tempurung; Jalan Tumang, Jalan Felda Medoi and Jalan Senai-Gemas (opposite Aijaya Glass factory) remained closed for all vehicles.

       "Jalan Serakek, Jalan Tungku Tiga and Jalan Pogoh in Kampung Limau Nipis, all in Segamat are only accessible by heavy vehicles," said Vidyananthan.

       He added Jalan Mawai Lama in Kota Tinggi is only open for heavy vehicles while only light vehicles are allowed to pass through at Jalan Lingkaran Kahang Barat, Kluang as there is a landslide in the area.