KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu residents have been warned to be wary of late night tidal waves of up to 3.5 metres along its coastline during the on-going monsoon.
State secretary Datuk Wan Nawawi Wan Ismail said observation stations in Kuala Terengganu and Kemaman were keeping surveillance to warn the people of the hazard during heavy rainstorms.
“There are also 38 flood surveillance stations to monitor rain and flood level, 23 stations to sound the sirens to evacuate and eight stations equipped with web monitoring cameras,” he said.
The flood surveillance web cameras have been installed at Kampung Gong Terap and Sekolah Kampung Buluh in Setiu, the Jerteh bridge and Kampung La in Besut, Kampung Paya in Dungun, Kampung Kepah in Hulu Terengganu, and Kampung Baru Kemasik and Teladas Air Putih bridge in Kemaman.
Nawawi said flood relief supplies had already been distributed to 179 depots and forward-base stores, spread across in all the seven districts in the state.
“The total of 494 evacuation centres can accommodate 133,729 people. We are prepared to mobilise 482 personnel from the police, armed forces, fire and rescue, civil defence, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Rela.
“These and other agencies collectively have 582 types of vehicles, including 111 boats, that are ready to be moved,” said Nawawi.
Of the 494 evacuation centres, 160 were schools which are closed for the year-end holidays.
Besut has the most number of such centres with 132, followed by Kemaman (80), Hulu Terengganu (87), Dungun (63), Kuala Terengganu (41), Setiu (35) and Marang (53).
The state government, he said, had allocated an estimated RM2 million for flood evacuation measures.
“All village welafare, security and community (J3K) committee heads have been briefed on the standard operating procedures and to liaise with the relevant agencies in times of need,” said Nawawi.
He advised the people to be prepared to be evacuated, to secure important personal documents and valuables, and follow the directives of the authorities during emergencies.
State Meteorolgical Department director Jenuwa Hussin forecasts a rainfall of between 410 and 900 millimetres from this month till March next year, in addition to thunderstorms and tidal waves.