BATU PAHAT: Over 300 flood victims placed at the relief centre set up at SK Sri Sejati near Kampung Parit Warijo, Sri Medan here, have been forced to relocate as the centre was also flooded today.
Batu Pahat District Police chief ACP Ismail Dollah said the evacuation of all the victims at the relief centre as well as some residents who were still stranded at their homes would be done in stages by the agencies involved.
“The centre was flooded up to one metre since early today. There are also more than 15 families identified to be still stuck at their homes in the village area,“ he said when met while inspecting the rescue operation at the village here, today.
Ismail said 241 personnel from various agencies were assigned to evacuate the victims.
“Apart from the police, the mission also involves rescuers from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), the Civil Defence Force (APM) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs),“ he said.
According to Ismail, the police will also mobilise two jet skis to monitor the affected areas.
However, he expressed disappointment over the fact that some residents refused to leave their homes, making rescue work difficult.
He said the police had received rescue calls involving 15 families, but he believed the number could be higher than that.
“This is because there are still other villages involved in the cluster such as Kampung Jayus 1 to 9, Kampung Basri Darat, and Kampung Singgahan,” he added.
Checks by Bernama at the entrance of Kampung Parit Warijo found many boats as well as lorries and tractors being used by the authorities and private individuals to evacuate residents and livestock.
It is believed that there is a cluster of more than 20 villages within Kampung Parit Warijo. – Bernama