Over 76,000 personnel from response agencies on standby for floods

A total of 76,336 officers and members of disaster response agencies at all levels,  including district, are fully prepared for the possibility of floods during the northeast monsoon season.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions) Mastura Mohd Yazid said 22,622 medical, land, water and air assets were also on standby.

She said the Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS) had set up 1,312 rainfall and water level telemetry stations, 526 flood warning sirens as well as 1,571 straight gauges and 184 mobile pumps for monitoring and early warning purposes.

Eeach district has also been allocated RM50,000, while an allocation amounting to RM1.08 million has been channelled to eight response agencies.

"Nadma (National Disaster Management Agency) has also allocated RM30,000 for the supply of two motorised fibre boats for each district along with life jackets. 

"The procurement of the boats will be carried out by the state disaster management committee," she said.

Mastura said this during the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today, responding to a question Rubiah Wang (GPS-Kota Samarahan) on the flood preparations by district disaster management committees across the country.

She said a task force to oversee preparations for the northeast monsoon season, chaired by Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali, would also be formed.