Johor to send flood alerts to mobile phones after JB flash floods

The Johor government plans to send early flood warnings directly to residents' mobile phones after some did not hear sirens during flash floods in Johor Bahru on 30 Sept. The state will gather more phone numbers to broaden the reach of alerts, which may also advise avoiding high-risk areas.

PETALING JAYA (Oct 2): The Johor government plans to strengthen its smart city technology to send early flood warnings directly to residents' mobile phones after some residents did not hear sirens during flash floods in Johor Bahru on Sept 30, the Malay Mail reported.

State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said notifications would be delivered through a smart application to help residents respond more quickly to extreme weather and protect lives and property. Speaking to reporters at Menara MBJB on Thursday (Oct 1), he said the state needed to gather more residents' mobile phone numbers to broaden the reach of the alerts. The notifications could also advise people to avoid high-risk areas and routes likely to be inundated.

Mohd Jafni had earlier chaired an action committee meeting with Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) officials to discuss the flash floods. According to Malay Mail, he said two flood warning sirens — in Kampung Mohd Amin and near Sultanah Aminah Hospital — sounded three times each during the incident. However, he acknowledged that they might not have been loud enough. “The issue is that not everyone heard the sirens. So, there is a need to review the system and discuss it with our technical team,” he said.

MBJB already has a smartphone application for flood monitoring and early warnings. In October 2025, The Star reported that then mayor Datuk Mohd Haffiz Ahmad said the council planned to expand its Safety Alerts & Integrated Forewarnings Operation Network (Saifon) application, which was developed in 2023. At the time, Saifon monitored Sungai Chat and the Abdul Samad basin, displaying real-time water levels, rainfall readings and closed-circuit television footage, according to Mohd Haffiz.

The latest report did not identify whether the proposed notifications would use Saifon or another application, or disclose an implementation timetable. Malay Mail reported that continuous heavy rain on Sept 30 caused flash floods in several parts of Johor Bahru, including Jalan Ayer Molek, Jalan Pantai, Jalan Wong Ah Fook and Kampung Pasir in Tampoi.