Redzuan: 1.5 million flood evacuees can be sheltered

ALOR GAJAH: Malaysia has the capacity to accommodate 1.5 million evacuees at relief centres around the country at any one time during the annual year-end floods, even with the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, says Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof.

The evacuees will be sheltered at the identified 5,422 relief centres, said the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions).

“We have enough relief centres and do not have to increase the number. Where we used to accommodate about 100 flood evacuees, we will halve the number to 50 in view of the need to adhere to Covid19 SOP,” he told reporters after a visit to the Alor Gajah District Education Office yesterday.

Redzuan, the MP for Alor Gajah, said going by experience, the yearend floods force no more than 500,000 to be evacuated from their homes to relief centres and, as such, the number of available relief centres was more than sufficient.

He chaired a meeting of the disaster management and relief committee recently and the representatives of the various agencies agreed to work together to face the eventuality of the year-end floods.

“As per the decision of the meeting, we have procured the goods to be stocked at the relief centres so as to be better prepared.

“We also have over 4,000 Civil Defence Force officers and personnel as well as assets that we can mobilise and coordinate with the assistance from the Royal Malaysia Police and Malaysian Armed Forces,” he said.