JOHOR BARU: The armed forces has been mobilised to tackle the flood in Penang and will remain to assist disaster relief operations.
The armed forces opened an operations room at 4.30am and have deployed numerous assets to flood-hit areas in the state.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said he had instructed the armed forces to help flood victims in Penang from the onset.
"At the same time, personnel and assets were deployed to several areas in Penang including Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Selatan, Seberang Perai Tengah, Southwest Zone and the North East Zone.
"So far, the armed forces have successfully relocated affected residents to safe areas, cleaned up blocked routes and helped in the cleanup work in affected areas," said Hishammuddin via his Facebook page.
He said the armed forces will continue to help in whatever way it can. He also urged the people to pray for the situation in Penang to return to normal.
The Defency Ministry said a team from the armed forces were mobilised at 1.30am today, and its Territorial Army 509 regiment (509 AW) began rendering aid at 3am.
A statement said an operations room was activated at 4.30am.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today that he was thankful for the assistance given to the state as he had contacted Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Lim said that he called Zahid at 3.30am today to seek the armed forces' assistance in the face of Penang’s worsening floods.
A continuous downpour lasting 17 hours, coupled by heavy wind since noon on Saturday paralysed George Town and Seberang Prai, in addition to triggering landslides and uprooting trees, as well as creating unusually heavy traffic due to impassable roads.