MELAKA, Oct 19 (Bernama) — Forty-eight flood-prone areas have been identified in Alor Gajah with 10 of these at high risk during long heavy rain in the northeast monsoon season.
Alor Gajah district officer, Datuk Saiful Hazwa Kipli said, however, several expected measures had been taken with the cooperation of the Drainage and Irrigation Department to cope with the flood disaster in these areas.
“We have been fully prepared in facing floods in Alor Gajah and the coordination in mobilising assets has been done.
“Praise be to God that the additional assets received today from Petronas will further help us with the rescue operations during floods,” he told reporters here today after the handing-over of boats and equipment in facing floods in Melaka.
Also present were Petronas Southern Region general manager, M. Zaki Mahat, and Melaka Civil Defence Force (APM) director, Lt Col (PA), Kamarulsyah Muslim.
Saiful Hazwa said the contingency plans such as the opening of flood relief centres (PPS) for flood victims had also been prepared in the event of floods during the upcoming 15th General Election.
“If floods occur while at the same time, the schools involved are required as polling centres, we will set up PPS at other schools and we have identified these schools.
“For example, there are three schools in Durian Tunggal to be used at PPS and voting centres, so we have provided other schools like Sekolah Rendah Agama Jabatan Agama Islam Melaka (JAIM), Durian Tunggal and Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Sin Wah,” he added.
Meanwhile, M. Zaki said Petronas had handed over two boats with engines and other equipment such as fuel tanks, 300 tents for flood victims, 150 safety jackets and 1,500 raincoats to the State Disaster Management Committee through Melaka APM.
He said this assistance was to help lighten the burden of the government agency in preparing for floods and in the rescue of flood victims, especially in flood-prone Alor Gajah.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
