FLOODS WORSEN IN KELANTAN AND TERENGGANU
13,528 people evacuated to 64 relief centres in 6 districts
THE flood situation in Kelantan continues to worsen despite the number of evacuees dropping for a short period. After registering 13,300 people at noon yesterday, the number rose to 13,528 people as at 5pm.
The Welfare Department’s InfoBanjir application reported that 5,357 families were housed in 64 relief centres in six districts, namely Kota Baru, Pasir Mas, Gua Musang, Tumpat, Tanah Merah and Pasir Puteh.
Pasir Mas remains the district with the highest number of evacuees, with 9,320 people from 3,966 families housed in 38 centres, followed by Tumpat with 2,934 people from 1,019 families in eight centres.
Pasir Puteh has 824 people from 245 families in eight centres; Kota Baru has 200 people from 61 families in three centres; Tanah Merah has 133 people from 39 families in three centres; and Gua Musang has 117 people from 27 families in two centres.
When the first wave of floods struck Kelantan last Saturday, the state was at its highest level of preparedness, given the lessons learnt from the massive floods of 2014.
This level of readiness will be maintained throughout the northeast monsoon, which started last month and will end in March next year.
State Flood Disaster and Aid Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Faudzi Che Mamat said 8,000 personnel were on standby, including the Fire and Rescue Department, Royal Malaysia Police, Malaysian Armed Forces, Civil Defence Force, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Malaysia Volunteers Department.
The personnel will respond to emergencies on the ground as they have a standard operating procedure drawn up after the 2014 floods.
A total of 699 relief centres are capable of accommodating up to 213,180 evacuees during the northeast monsoon.
Some 216 forward bases have been set up in 10 districts, each equipped with ample supply of food and essentials.
More than 14,000 people were evacuated at the height of the first wave of floods in Kelantan.
At press time, 13,300 people were in 61 relief centres in six districts.
Faudzi said he was satisfied with the rescue operations and management of flood evacuees at the relief centres.
The evacuees are well cared of in the relief centres.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim, who visited flood-affected areas a few days ago, said the Federal Government would ensure that evacuees were given “royal treatment” in the relief centres.
“Fresh food will be available for the evacuees in the relief centres.
“Other facilities are being arranged to make their stay there as comfortable as possible,” Shahidan said.
Checks found that evacuees were happy with the facilities in the relief centres.
Disabled couple Ismail Ibrahim, 61, and Hanisah Dollah, 58, said they were grateful for the facilities at the relief centre in SK Kamil (1), Pasir Puteh. Bernama