KUALA LUMPUR: Petrol stations would need to undertake a number of processes when floods hit as well as after waters recede to get up and pumping again.
Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia president Datuk Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz said petrol dealers must first ensure all discharge points at their stations are safely sealed during a flood.
“The dealers need to report to oil companies on the station closure as well as to brief them on the (flood) situation.
“Oil companies will then prompt the oil terminal (storage for oil) to stop sending fuel to the stations until further notice ... the staff will continuously communicate with dealers on the current flood status,” he told Bernama when asked on petrol station closures during floods.
Khairul Annuar said after a flood, it would take months for petrol station operations to recover fully as they have to repair and restore the stations.
“Usually after the flood, fuel sales will resume by cash payment if the system (electricity, Internet, or card payment system) is not available as it has to be reset.
“The shop would take a longer time to be repaired and this will affect their regular sales as well as their income,” he added.
He said insurance claims would be a difficult process especially for petrol stations that are regularly affected by floods and in some cases, there are insurance companies that would not cover the losses.
“As for minor flooding cases, the petrol dealers can fully operate after two or three days, especially when no equipment or store is damaged,” he said.
In KUALA TERENGGANU, a total of 15 fire incidents that occurred in the state during the five days of severe flooding from Dec 19 were caused by short circuits, said Terengganu Fire and Rescue Department director Md Hilman Abd Rashidu.
He said the short circuits were due to faulty electrical appliances and wiring that had been exposed to floodwaters.
As such, he advised flood victims to ensure that the wiring was always safe and electrical appliances completely dry before using them after the flood.
“It is common for flood victims to immediately use the electrical appliances when they get home, without checking the condition of the wiring or if they are damaged,” he said.
“Electrical items that have not completely dried could cause a short circuit and lead to a fire,” he added.
Meanwhile, Md Hilman said 22 drowning cases were recorded from Jan 1 to Dec 23 and that five of the cases occurred during the northeast monsoon period which began in mid-November, Bernama reported.
He also advised flood victims to look out for dangerous or poisonous insects and animals when cleaning up their houses after the flood.
