MERSING, March 6 — The body of a woman, who was earlier reported missing after her car was swept away by flood currents, was found inside her vehicle along Jalan Nitar Utama here late last night.

The 24-year-old woman, who succumbed to drowning, is the fifth casualty who died as a result of the floods in Johor since last week.

Mersing Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Assistant Fire Superintendent Abdul Muiz Mukhtar said the search-and-rescue team managed to free the victim’s body from the Perodua Myvi car at about 10.30 last night.

He said the Perodua Myvi car driven by the victim was believed to have veered off from the road near Jalan Nitar Utama here before being submerged in water at 6.45am yesterday.

"The operation to bring-up the victim's car that was submerged in flood waters started from 6.55pm, shortly after the Perodua Myvi was located about 15 metres from the last reported position.

"Efforts to locate the victim was carried out by the department’s water rescue team, while the operation to lift the vehicle was successfully carried out with the assistance of a vehicle recovery system equipment,” he said in a statement.

Abdul Muiz said that at the time of the incident, the water level along the road was about one metre deep.

He estimated the depth of the slope from the area where the vehicle had plunged into was about six metres.

"The victim's remains were recovered and handed over to the police for further action,” he said.

Mersing police chief Superintendent Abdul Razak Abdullah Sani said the body has been sent to the Mersing Hospital’s forensic unit for the post-mortem and identification by family members.

"Police have classified the case under sudden death report,” he said in a separate statement last night.

In yesterday’s incident, the victim was believed to be driving along a flooded road from Mersing to Kluang before her Perodua Myvi was swept away by the flood’s currents at 6.45am.

The victim was believed to have been trapped inside her car as it submerged by flood waters.