Roads to Mersing closed as floods in Johor restrict access
17 December, 2019
Road access to the coastal town of Mersing was restricted as severe floods hit Johor, with the number of displaced persons rising to more than 9,000 on Monday (Dec 16).
At Kampung Haji Mohd Jambi - about 70km away from Mersing - locals said the main road Jalan Jemaluang heading towards the coastal town had been cordoned off for the past two days, forcing motorists to turn back.
Other roads in the area were also closed off, they said.
When CNA visited the site on Monday afternoon, local authorities had put up roadblocks indicating the road was shut to traffic.
Several emergency vehicles - including a boat - were at the roadblock.
Some motorists attempted to wade into the flood waters, which were above knee level in some parts.
A group travelling in a pickup truck tried to drive through but were ultimately forced to turn back.
Members of a volunteer group that was trying to deliver food and essential supplies to those affected by the flood said they would find an alternative route into Mersing.
One resident, who wanted to be known only as Mr Azizan, had planned to bring his family to visit his grandparents, whose house was affected by the floods.
"We wanted to bring them food, but I guess we will have to turn back," he said.
Recent floods have affected large parts of Johor, stretching from Segamat in the north to Johor Bahru in the south, with more than 9,000 displaced residents relocated to 91 relief centres spread across the state.
According to figures from local authorities, the worst hit region was Kota Tinggi, where more than 2,600 people were evacuated.
On Monday, Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar visited two flood relief centres for residents from Kluang, the second worst affected area, which saw 2,551 displaced individuals as of Monday morning.
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