SEGAMAT: Floods have been reported in six states and the Fire and Rescue Department is keeping tabs on some 876 flood-prone spots nationwide ahead of the 15th General Election, says Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad.
The department’s operations director said currently, there are 1,359 flood victims with Selangor recording the most at 903, followed by Kedah with 233, Penang with 75, Kelantan with 62, Johor with 57 and Melaka with 29.
“Most of the floods occurring now are due to the high tide phenomenon. We expect the numbers to drop in the coming days,” Nor Hisham said, adding that no deaths have been reported so far.
Fire and Rescue Department operations director Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad says floods have been reported in six states.
On the number of hotspots being monitored, he said they are mainly areas with rapid currents, as well as major rivers and lakes.
On preparations for the elections, he said the department would focus mainly on carrying out operations in case of major floods.
“If there is a need for us to station our personnel near polling or tallying centres, then we will coordinate with the district officer,” he said.
Nor Hisham added that the department would get a better picture of the weather situation about three days before polling, on Nov 19, based on information from the Meteorological Department.
He also said that between Oct 3 and Nov 7, the department rescued some 687 flood victims nationwide.
He said it would also mobilise all its assets, including over 435 boats, for rescue operations nationwide.
“We will be using 143 heavy vehicles, especially our trucks, to evacuate people to centres when necessary,” he said, adding that besides heavy rains, tides which could result in floods are also being monitored.“Four drones will also be deployed to carry out aerial surveillance over flood-prone areas.
“If there is a need, we will mobilise our helicopters to help in flood operations,” he said while urging those in low-lying areas to be ready for evacuation if it continues to rain over a period of time.
He also urged the public to not let their children play near bodies of water such as rivers, ponds, lakes and disused mining ponds during the monsoon season.
In Johor, Segamat has 57 victims who have been housed in three relief centres since Nov 2. Four of the six rivers flowing in the district were above the normal level.
Several parts of Johor Jaya were hit by flash floods after heavy rains since 3pm yesterday. Among the affected areas are Taman Saujana and Jalan Ros Merah Utama.According to the Johor Civil Defence Force, several homes and roads were inundated.
“So far, no relief centres have been opened but we will continue to monitor the situation closely.
“At the moment, only homes in Taman Saujana have been affected. We are still ascertaining the number of victims,” it said, adding that water levels have started to recede.
