Monsoon: Zahid tells residents, agencies to be prepared

 

Government agencies and residents in the southern region of the peninsula have been urged to be alert and adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs) to face the fourth wave of the Northeast Monsoon which is now moving to the south.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said state agencies and committees need to be ready to take immediate action to deal with disasters brought about by the monsoon, including floods.

“The fourth wave of the MTL (Northeast Monsoon) has shifted to the south and I hope immediate actions per the SOP stipulated by Nadma (National Disaster Management Agency) and also APM (Malaysian Civil Defence Force) and other agencies can be followed by all the committees and agencies involved,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after visiting the landslide disaster site in the Orang Asli settlement of Sungai Ruil, Tanah Rata, in Cameron Highlands today.

Earlier, Zahid, who is also the National Disaster Management Committee chairperson, visited the Temporary Relief Centre (PPS) at the Sungai Ruil Orang Asli Kampung hall which housed 88 victims from 17 families affected by the incident on Oct 12 last year.

Commenting on the flood situation in Johor, he said the number of victims has risen again but with the cooperation of the agencies involved, flood management was found to be improving based on the experience of previous years.

According to Nadma, 1,197 flood victims in Johor took shelter in 12 PPS as of 6am this morning, a slight increase compared to 1,153 last night.

A total of 793 victims were placed in eight PPS in Kota Tinggi, 277 victims in two PPS in Mersing, with one PPS each in Johor Bahru (43 victims) and Kluang (84).

- Bernama