JERTEH: Nine military aircraft have been deployed from the Gong Kedak Air Base, Terengganu, to send food supplies to flood victims in Kelantan yesterday.
Gong Kedak Air Base Commander, Brig Gen Zahani Zainal Abidin said the aircraft comprised three EC725 helicopters, two Nuri helicopters, one Super Lynx Navy aircraft, one Fennec Navy aircraft, one A109 aircraft and one AW139 aircraft.
“All of the aircraft belonged to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), the Army and the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and are being utilised in the flood operation dubbed ‘Ops Murni’ to send food supplies, medications and fuel.
“For areas where the aircraft cannot land, the RMAF will use winching and low hovering methods to send the supplies,” he told reporters.
He said a total of 25 missions to send food supplies, medications and also to rescue victims, had been carried out since Dec 24.
He said each sortie, would carry one tonne of food supplies and medications.
“Each ‘sortie’ is capable of sending food supplies and medications to three locations,” he said.
Apart from food supplies, Zahani said a total of 800 litres of diesel were also sent on daily basis to Kuala Krai Hospital, Tanah Merah Hospital, Tumpat Hospital and Pasir Mas Hospital under the operation.
To date, he said food supplies were able to be sent to critical flood-hit locations, including Gua Musang, Kuala Krai, Tanah Merah, Machang and Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital (HUSM), while 15 patients were transferred to HUSM for further treatment yesterday.
Bernama aerial observation onboard EC725 helicopter found that most flood-hit areas in Kelantan were still in worrying state, with Kota Baharu and Manik Urai still submerged in floodwaters.
Also present during the aerial observation was RMAF chief Gen Datuk Seri Roslan Saad. --Bernama