KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — The number of flood victims seeking shelter at temporary relief centres in Johor continued to rise this afternoon, compared to this morning, while the situation in Perak remained largely unchanged.

As of 4 pm today, the number of victims in Johor has increased to 3,779, up from 3,449 this morning.

State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) chairman Tan Sri Dr Azmi Rohani, confirmed that these victims, from 1,080 families, are being sheltered at 36 relief centres across five districts.

"Kota Tinggi district is the hardest-hit, with 1,174 victims relocated to relief centres, followed by Johor Bahru (768), Kulai (735), Pontian (556), and Kluang (546).

"Only the Sungai Kahang station in Kampung Contoh, Kluang, has surpassed the danger threshold, with a reading of 15.70 metres,” he said in a statement today.

He added that Jalan Mawai Lama (Rumah Burung) in Kota Tinggi is completely closed to all traffic due to rising floodwaters, while one lane of Jalan Tanjung Sedili in the same district remains open.

In Perak, the District Disaster Management Committee Secretariat reported a small increase in flood victims in Manjung, with 31 people from nine families now affected, up from 30 people in eight families this morning.

These victims have been sheltering at the Sekolah Agama Rakyat Padang Serai relief centre in Beruas since Thursday.

"They are all residents of Kampung Padang Serai, Kampung Kasi, and Kampung Pengkalan Damar,” the statement added.

Meanwhile the Perak Department of Irrigation and Drainage informed that the water level at Sungai Rui in Hulu Perak is currently at an alert level of 165.43 metres, slightly above the normal level of 165.10 metres.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecast rain for all 12 districts in Perak this evening. — Bernama