MERSING: A motorist believed to be a woman drowned after the Perodua Myvi she was driving was swept away by floodwaters in Jalan Nitar Utama here yesterday.
Fire and Rescue Department operations commander Abdul Muiz Mukhtar said the car was found about 15 metres from the spot where it was washed away.
Rescuers launched a search operation at 11 am and found the car in an overturned position at 6.55 pm.
“Work to retrieve the car was ongoing,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Abdul Muiz said they received an emergency call on the incident at 6.49 am.
“When our team arrived, there were no indications that the victim was still at the location of the incident.
“Our team then conducted a search in Felda Nitar 1 and Felda Nitar 2 areas,“ he said.
Mersing district police chief Supt Abdul Razak Abdullah Sani, in a separate statement, said the 23-year-old victim was said to be travelling from Mersing to Kluang when the incident happened.
Abdul Razak advised road users to be alert when travelling and to abide by instructions given by authorities.
Johor Fire and Rescue Department acting director Mohd Rizal Buang said the body of the woman was found inside the car at 10.19 pm.
Rescuers took about 40 minutes to retrieve the grey car using the ‘vehicle rockery system’, as trees were blocking their way, he said.
“The body was handed over to the police at 10.22 pm for further action,” he said.
Abdul Razak said the body had been sent to Hospital Mersing for a post-mortem and identification by family members.-Bernama
