JOHOR BARU: Fire and Rescue Department helicopters are being used to airlift some 20 tonnes of foodstuff to many remote villages cut off by the floods in Kelantan.
Its deputy director-general (operations) Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said the first batch of food items totalling 4.7 tonnes was dispatched on Monday to seven locations in Gua Musang.
He said the special operation has benefited nearly 1,100 victims, mainly in Pos Simpor, Pos Gob, Pos Bihai, Pos Belatim and Pos Balar.
“Besides sending food items, we also carried out a mercy flight to assist six people, including four children, who were sick with severe diarrhoea and fever.
“They were airlifted in a rescue mission to the nearest hospital,” he said when contacted.
Nor Hisham said the Mi-171 helicopters will be used for the operations, which are expected to last for four days.
“This is the first airlifting operation since the floods began this monsoon season,” he said, adding that the department has put on standby all its five helicopters to assist in flood operations in the affected states.
On the flood operations, he reminded the public to be cautious as 276 people had drowned nationwide last year with the latest case being a 16-year-old boy in Sandakan, Sabah, on Dec 29.
“The victim was playing with his friends on a beach when he drowned,” he said, adding that most of the cases occurred in rivers and water bodies (tali air).
He said most of those who drowned were men.
“Twenty-seven women have also become victims. The majority are between the ages of seven and 19. So we urge parents to monitor the whereabouts of their children, especially during the current rainy season,” he said.
Nor Hisham said some victims drowned in other sites such as beaches, lakes, mining pools and waterfalls while there were two cases which took place in sewerage ponds.
“We hope the public will exercise caution when playing around water bodies,” he said.
He also advised flood victims to heed the advice of the authorities before returning to their homes as there have been cases of snakes and wild animals found inside flooded houses.
“We do not want anyone to be injured. These animals are also trying to escape from floodwaters,” he said.
“While the flood situation in Kelantan is improving, the mission to provide food in the state is because many of the access roads, especially to remote Orang Asli villages, were cut off due to landslides or damaged bridges,” he added.
