Helicopters will be used to send aid to flood victims who could be not be reached by a land vehicle or boat, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

This is to ensure uninterrupted food supply to the victims, he told reporters in Muar after visiting evacuation centres in Pagoh.

He said there had been no report of flood victims not receiving food from agencies assigned to help them.

District offices and the welfare department have given an assurance that people affected by the floods in Johor will receive the aid they need.

More than 43,000 flood victims remain at evacuation centres in the state.

The district with the largest number of flood evacuees is Segamat (over 21,000) followed by Ledang (5,822), Batu Pahat (5,090), Muar (4,759 ) and Kluang (4,135).

Muhyiddin said that he had asked the Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Douglas Unggah Embas, to give Johor priority in carrying out such projects as the deepening and straightening of rivers.

He said that RM1 billion had been allocated for such projects which were  now being carried out in stages.

But Muhyiddin said the projects must be speeded up in view of the flood situation in the state.

- Bernama