
PONTIAN, June 21 — Following yesterday’s massive downpour in Johor, the town of Pekan Nanas here faced flash flood with water reaching up to the waist level.
The village of Kampung Sawah was believed to be the worst hit area here, which forced hundred of Pontian residents out of their homes.
“This is the worst flooding that I can remember. This time the water levels have reached-up to waist levels,” said Siti Khadijah Rahman, a 36-year-old mother of four from the village.
“The flood waters rose quickly yesterday afternoon and forced my children to seek temporary shelter with the help of villagers.”
She was met by reporters at the SK Kampung Sawah primary school that has been turned into a temporary relief centre in the afternoon.
Siti Khadijah said that bulldozers had to be employed in her village because of heavy flooding in the area, and timber wood blocking the exit from her home.
“After the Zohor prayers yesterday, the river in the back of the village began to overflow. I only managed to safe my four children age between six months-old to 13-yeara-old.
“My husband was away at work at that time and it was not possible to safe any valuables, clothing or items in time,” she said.

Siti Khadijah said about 10 homes in her village suffered the same fate as flood waters inundated their homes.
As of this afternoon, the number of flood victims at the Kampung Sawah temporary flood relief centre was at 148.
The Pontian district, which recorded the highest number of flood victims in Johor this afternoon, registered 370 people from 91 families housed in four temporary flood relief centres.
Pekan Nanas assemblyman Yeo Tung Siong said food assistance, clothing and other basic necessities had been provided by government agencies and related departments to flood victims stationed at the temporary flood relief centres.
“We would hold discussions with the relevant government agencies and departments, especially the Irrigation and Drainage Department, to resolve the flash flooding in Kampung Sawah,” he said.