ACTIVITIES in the Kota Tinggi town centre, which came to a standstill due to flooding on January 7, are gradually recovering today.

Checks by Bernama around the town centre found that the main roads, which were previously submerged up to 2m and closed until yesterday, can now be traversed by light vehicles, although the water has not completely receded.

Business premises owners and their workers were also seen actively cleaning their premises, even though electricity supply has not yet been restored in several places, especially around the clock tower, which serves as the landmark of the town centre.

Several workers mentioned that they expect to resume operations tomorrow if the electricity supply is restored.

A worker at an electrical goods store, Noraini Md Akim, said she came to work today to clean the exterior of the shop, which was filled with mud and dirt due to the flooding.

“We are fortunate because floodwater did not enter the shop; otherwise, it would have been difficult because many electrical items would have been damaged,” said the 55-year-old woman.

However, she said that she remains cautious as there are reports of a large tide occurring later this evening.

“There was also no prolonged heavy rain last night; heavy rain occurred at 2 am, then it drizzled. We hope the water can completely recede by tomorrow or the day after,” she said.

Meanwhile, a worker at a vintage clothing store, Nik Nur Izwan Khairul Anuar, said that the flood this time was quite severe compared to the floods in the past four years.

He said that previously, the floodwater level only reached the store’s steps, but this time, it almost entered the shop.

“If the water had risen another foot, all the clothes and shoes in this shop would be damaged and dirty due to the floodwater,” he said.

As of 1pm today, the total number of flood evacuees in Johor is 6,932 people, with Kota Tinggi recording the highest number of affected individuals, totaling 4,221 people. – Bernama, January 11, 2024.