Friday 28 December 2012

Round-the-clock rescue efforts by authorities to assist people affected by floods

When floods hit Kelantan during the past week, many members of the rescue agencies and relevant authorities have been working around the clock to help the people in the state.

About 5,000 rescuers from the Fire and Rescue Services Departments, Civil Defence Department, police and soldiers from the army Eight Brigade camp have been tirelessly rescuing stranded residents, giving foodstuff and medicine and transporting people from flooded areas.

Volunteer groups from here, Kuala Krai, Machang, Tanah Merah, Pasir Mas and Tumpat have also chipped in to help in their respective districts.

Firemen, who are coordinating the rescue and relief operations, also have to contend with the danger of rescuing people from rooftops of houses or trees at night, carrying elderly and bed-ridden victims and capturing venomous snakes trapped in houses.

Policemen are also hard-pressed with maintaining security and preventing looting even as they are helping to rescue victims.

So far, about 7,000 flood victims are now being housed at 38 flood relief centres in the state.

The state has already make preparations to accommodate more flood victims after the Meteorological Department forecast that heavy rain would continue until early next year.

In PENANG, state Agriculture, Agro-based Industries, Rural Development and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Law Choo Kiang said the Penang Municipal Council and Seberang Prai Municipal Council had been directed to clear drains, especially those in flood-prone areas since Septem-ber.

“Both councils were also instructed to make sure all development projects were carried out according to their procedures and conditions,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Law said flood mitigation projects worth a total of RM30mil were now in progress all over the state.

TheStar

0 comments:

Post a Comment