Day: January 2, 2022

SEREMBAN, Jan 2 — Thirteen routes involving five districts in the state have been closed to all traffic while four more are only passable to heavy vehicles following landslides and floods as at 2 pm this evening.

Negeri Sembilan Public Works Department (PWD) director Ir Wan Hasnan Wan Musa said the routes involved seven roads in Tampin, Jelebu (4), Jempol (3), Kuala Pilah (2) and one in Seremban.

Among the roads affected are Jalan Segamat-Gemas, Londah-Gemas, Jelai-Bahau, Jeram Toi, Kuala Klawang-Genting Peras, Felda Titi and Telapak Buruk transmitting station.

The roads would be reopened soon after repair works have been completed apart from depending on the condition of the roads after the flood. PWD will also find alternative routes and they would be announced from time to time,” he told Bernama here today.

Therefore he advised all motorists to plan their journeys and be alert of flood warnings and road closure signboards as well as notice for alternative routes to their destinations.

“Road users can refer to the website of the disaster operation room (BIGBen) JKR which is bencanaalam.jkr.gov.my or contact 06-7659659/9614 for the latest disaster development and road situation,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 2 — Segamat district, the earliest to be affected by floods this year, received the highest amount of rainfall in Johor based on the readings recorded by 23 rainfall stations in the district for the period of Dec 26 until yesterday (Jan 1).

According to data issued by the Johor Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), the reading was at 4,893 millimetres (mm) where over the period of seven days, an average of 213 mm of rainfall per day was received.

The average amount of rain received by Segamat district last December was only 114 mm compared to the average amount of 213 mm in the last week of 2021.

Segamat district also received the second highest average amount of rainfall during the same period (Dec 26, 2021-Jan 1, 2022) at 1,423 mm while Johor Bahru recorded the highest at 1,448 mm.

During that week, the station at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Loi recorded receiving 456 mm of rainfall while the station at Sungai Lenik @ Kangar Chaah received the lowest at 57mm.

The other districts like Kota Tinggi received 930 mm with an average of 52 mm recorded by 18 stations, followed by Johor Bahru at 826 mm with an average of 69 mm recorded by 12 stations.

With the flood-affected areas that included Tangkak and Kota Tinggi, 32 flood relief centres were opened, accommodating 1,827 evacuees from 466 families, the Johor DID said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 2 — A firefighter was jolted awake from a much-needed sleep after returning from a search and rescue (SAR) operation for flood victims in Klang by his son’s scream as floodwater started to enter the family home on Dec 18.

Recounting the anxious moment, Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) senior superintendent (Operations) Ahmad Zaidi Safuan, 50, said that he never experienced any flooding incident at his housing estate since he moved to the area 16 years ago.

Ahmad Zaidi, who is attached to JBPM headquarters in Putrajaya, said that he could not believe that his house was flooded for the first time at about 1 am. It happened shortly after he returned from evacuating flood victims to the temporary relief centre (PPS) at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Meru, Klang.

“It felt like a dream to see the area around my house in Taman Meru Setia was flooded to waist level following the continuous rain at that time.

“At that time, I had just returned to rest. I was in bed in less than an hour, when I was startled by the screams of my 11-year-old son downstairs, informing me that water had entered the house,” he told Bernama recently.

He then rushed to save important documents, certificates and kept them in the attic and took his family to the Kapar fire station because he was concerned if the water level continued to rise.

He added that at the time, water had started to enter the compound even though the station was built on higher ground.

“When I saw that I just cried as I did not expect the station to be affected and was very quiet then because a majority of firefighters were involved in search and rescue operations.

Ahmad Zaidi said he also received a phone call informing him that his son’s rental house in Taman Meru 3, Klang was also affected by waist-high floodwater on the night of Dec 18 while conducting the SAR operation using a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

“Once we evacuated the flood victims to PPS at SMK Meru safely, I went on to rescue my son, 26, and my one-year-old grandchild, to safety,” he said.

Ahmad Zaidi, who has served the JBPM for 31 years, suffered losses of RM8,000 due to the floods. However, he is grateful that his family is safe from the disaster.

Meanwhile, JBPM senior superintendent (Fire Investigations) Razali Mohd Nasir, 48, said his house in Taman Desa Permai in Meru, Klang was also affected by the flood.

“When the flood occurred I was at home. At about 2 pm my house was already flooded and my family packed up the essentials and took them to the top floor.

“Most of the furniture in my house could not be saved, including kitchen cabinets, televisions, beds and others are also damaged,” he said.

Razali said he was grateful that his family was safe and expressed his deep appreciation to the local community who did not stop assisting the flood victims.

Meanwhile, JBPM director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said a total of 353 officers and firefighters were affected in the flood disaster as of Dec 30.

“Some of them were unaware that their families were affected (by the floods) and many also knew but decided to continue helping the flood victims anyway, hence, they (JBPM officers and personnel) relied on help from neighbours and other rescue teams to save their families,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency