Driver cheats death after car almost plunges into sinkhole

MERSING: A 60-year-old driver cheated death after his car almost plunged into a hole caused by a landslide at KM16 of Jalan Jamauluang heading to Mersing at 2.30am today.

Mersing district police chief Deputy Supt Cyril Edward Nuing said the driver Swee Ah Peng, 61, and several other passengers suffered minor injuries and were sent to the Mersing hospital for treatment.

He said the main road linking Johor Baru-Kuantan near here is completely closed to all types of vehicles after part of the land at KM16, near the Mersing Industrial Training Institute, caved in.

Nuing said this had resulted in a 70-metre sinkhole which was 15m deep.

He said those travelling to Mersing or Kuantan or from Mersing to Johor Baru are advised to use the alternative road at Jalan Nitar-Jemaluang.

Mersing JKR in a statement said public safety warning signs have been put up at the location.

"Response teams are constantly monitoring the situation at the site and road users are advised to use the alternative route and to be careful," the statement said.

Meanwhile, as of 7am yesterday, the flood situation in Johor showed signs of improvement with 1,360 people from 371 families in 13 floods relief centres (FRCs) in three districts compared to 1,374 people last Sunday.

Mersing is the state's worst-hit district with 1,225 flood victims, Segamat (103) and Kota Tinggi (32).