MERSING: Some 45 people were rescued after they were stranded in their houses at Kampung Jemari near here when their village was hit by a flood. According to the Mersing Fire and Rescue Department operations commander Mohd Azhari Awi, the incident took place on Monday (Jan 3) at around 12.20pm. He said 13 firefighters with a Fire Rescue Tender (FRT), an Emergency Medical Response Service (EMRS) vehicle, two pickup trucks and an aluminium boat were deployed to the scene. "We were assisted by 18 Armed Forces personnel members and eight from the Malaysian Civil Defence Department," Mohd Azhari said in a statement. "The victims were stranded in their houses following heavy downpour in the area," said Mohd Azhari. He said the 45 victims were from 22 families and they were brought to the temporary relief centre (PPS) at Politeknik Mersing. The operations ended at around 3.50pm.