Defence minister Khaled Nordin said the armed forces, with the assistance of other agencies, would be gathering information about the areas that are likely to be hit by floods again.
“We will learn from the first and second waves. I believe the armed forces know about the areas that have high potential of being flooded again.
“The checks on flood-prone areas is to ensure the armed forces know which boat route to take, which houses have a higher level of danger compared to other houses, and which area doesn’t have hills and valleys, when the flood hits,” he told reporters after visiting flood evacuees at the relief centre at SK Padang Gual Tinggi, Rantau Panjang here.
He was accompanied by army chief General Hafizuddeain Jantan.
Khaled said he was satisfied with the armed forces’ assignments under Op Murni where its personnel assisted local authorities to rescue and evacuate flood victims in Kelantan and Terengganu.
A total of 71 officers and 1,057 personnel have been involved in the operation since Nov 27.
“We still have reserve forces, that means after a few weeks, there are those who can go back, rest in camps and be replaced, so we’ll constantly have people on duty.
“But if things get worse and the numbers keep rising, we can mobilise everyone in Kelantan and Terengganu,” he said, as he reminded residents affected by floods to evacuate immediately before the floodwaters get too high.
“Don’t wait till the water rises to your knees, hips, shoulders and all that. This is so that (the number of rescue) operations can be reduced and focussed on where they are needed (the most),” he said.
Meanwhile, Khaled said border control duties would continue as usual despite the floods as they were crucial. - FMT
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