KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- The second wave of floods in Johor worsened Saturday, sending 74,525 people to evacuation centres as of Saturday night, up from 60,512 in the evening.

The monsoon rains anticipated from Monday to Wednesday are expected to worsen the situation even further.

According to a spokesman of the Johor police headquarters, the highest number of evacuees by district was in Kluang -- 15,717 compared to 14,870 in the evening. This was followed by Batu Pahat (15,607), Kota Tinggi (10,797), Segamat (6,075), Mersing (3,178), Pontian (2,412) and Muar (1,699).

In KOTA TINGGI, most parts of the town were flooded with 0.5 metres of water while the main roads into the district, like Jalan Kota Tinggi-Johor Baharu and Jalan Kota Tinggi-Mersing, are still impassable to traffic.

Other roads that are closed due to the floods are Jalan Seelong-Ulu Tiram, Km 3 Jalan Ulu Choh-Gelang Patah, Km 32 Bandar Tenggara, Km 24 Jalan Kota Tinggi-Kulai, Km 26 Kota Tinggi-Kulai near Sungai Telor, Km 40 Kota Tinggi-Johor Baharu at Kampung Batu 23, Jalan Tun Sri Lanang at Bandar Tenggara, Km 24 Jalan Mawai at Jalan Tun Habab and Km 68.8 Jalan Kota Tinggi.

In KLUANG, a landslide occurred at the road at Bandar Tenggara near Felda Pengelih Timur. Roads closed to traffic are Jalan Mersing-Kota Tinggi, Mersing-Kluang, Segamat-Labis, Labis-Yong Peng, Labis-Muar, Kluang-Mersing, Kluang Bandar Tenggara and at the Sungai Semborong bridge.

In BATU PAHAT, Jalan Yong Peng-Chaah at Km 3, and Jalan Batu Pahat-Ayer Hitam at Km 26 are closed to light vehicles. Jalan Batu 18.5 Parit Sulong and Km 70 of Jalan Muar-Labis in Muar are also closed to light vehicles.

Meanwhile, in PAHANG, the number of evacuees increased from 462 in the evening to 679 Saturday night.

A spokesman of the Pahang police flood operations room said all the affected victims were residents of Rompin, from Kampung Kurnia, Kampung Perpat, Kampung Rekoh, Ladang Yayasan and Kampung Bukit Seruk.

"The water level at Sungai Garung is at 4.7 metres compared with its normal level of 2.1 metres, while Sungai Rekoh recorded a level of 97.41 metres. No fatalities have been reported," he said.

In SABAH, it was still raining since morning and the road linking Pitas and Kanibongan was still cut off by floods. The worst-hit villages are Kusilad and Kabatasan Laut.

Pitas District Officer Sapdin Ibrahim said the floodwaters started to rise at these villages since last Wednesday and the level of the Sungai Bengkoka reached the danger level of 4.59 metres Friday, forcing nearby residents to be evacuated.

Sabah State Education Deputy Director Muhiden Yusin said he had allowed school principals and headmasters to close schools that were hit by the floods.

Friday, three primary schools in Beluran -- SK Sungai-Sungai, SK Sulok and SK Perancangan -- were closed due to the floods.

-- BERNAMA