Monday 31 December 2012

Soldiers on standby for floods

At least 20,000 soldiers have been put on standby for another wave of floods.

Based on the weather patterns announced by the Meteorological Department, there was a possibility that the floods in the three east coast states could worsen.

“The armed forces has all the expertise, logistics and the manpower to complement the authorities handling the floods,” Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said after visiting a relief centre at SM Pengkalan Kubor 2 here yesterday.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said the army would provide medical services, vehicles and cooks at relief centres.

“The 6th Division Brigade has been tasked to assist the state health departments anywhere in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang,” he said, adding that the brigade members were now in Kemaman to help out.

The Meteorological Department predicted that rain was expected in the east coast states again and residents were reminded to be prepared for the second round of floods.

Meanwhile, the situation in Tereng­­ganu and Kelantan is improving with the number of flood victims at evacuation centres reduced to 3,171 from 16,083 on Saturday night.

According to the Terengganu flood portal, the situation in four of the seven districts affected by floods had returned to normal with Hulu Terengganu being the latest district to recover.

As of yesterday, Dungun had the most number of flood victims at 1,915, Kemaman (557) and Kuala Terengganu (145). Eleven evacuation centres are still open in Dungun, Kemaman and Kuala Terengganu.

The floods in Terengganu have so far claimed six lives.

The Kelantan Government’s portal said evacuees would be allowed to return home if the water level at Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang dropped to the warning level.
 

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