JOHOR BARU: Tow truckers in Johor, especially those operating in flood-affected districts, have seen a slight increase in the number of vehicles they have to attend to in the past week.

       Tow trucker Chin Ting Wee, 43, said that there has been an increase of about 20% in the number of cars he and his colleagues attend to.

       “Apart from towing cars damaged by floods, I am also attending to more vehicles involved in road accidents during heavy rains,” he said.

       He noted that the areas he covers include Simpang Renggam, Yong Peng, Batu Pahat and Kulai.

       “While there is an increase in the number of vehicles damaged due to the floods, it is not as many as last year where I could receive up to 20 calls in just one day,” he added.

       Another tow trucker who only wanted to be known as Tan, 37, who works in Kota Tinggi, Kulai and Johor Baru said he expects to receive more calls after water levels have gone down.

       “Normally, people will only tow their cars and send it to the workshop when the flood is over. The flood situation seems to have improved in Johor and the weather has been sunny in the past two days.

       “I receive at least five calls these days and I believe the number will double in the next few days,” he said.

       Tow trucker S. Kanason, 53, said the number of cars he attended to around the Johor Baru areas remains at about five cars in a week.

       “The flood situation in Johor Baru this year is not that bad and only a few low-land areas were affected.

       “Most of the cars I towed lately are those involved in accidents or the ones that break down in the middle of the road,” he said.

       As of noon yesterday, the number of flood victims at temporary flood relief centres (PPS) statewide has dropped to 4,098 from 4,449 at 8am the same day.

       Only five districts are currently affected by the flood after all PPS in Kluang were closed on Thursday.

       The remaining affected districts are Segamat, Tangkak, Muar, Batu Pahat, and Mersing.