KOTA BARU: When the first wave of floods struck Kelantan last Saturday, the state was at its highest level of preparedness, given the lesson learned from the massive floods of 2014.
This level of readiness will be maintained throughout the period of the Northeast Monsoon which will last from November this year to March 2018.
Some 8,000 personnel from various agencies are on standby, said Datuk Mohd Faudzi Che Mamat, chairman of the Kelantan Flood Disaster and Aid Committee. These agencies include the Fire and Rescue Department, Royal Malaysia Police, Civil Defence Force, Malaysian Armed Forces, Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency and Malaysia Volunteers Department.
They are quick to respond to any emergency on the ground as they have a standard operating procedure that was drawn up after the 2014 floods.
What about the relief centres? Yes, a total of 699 have been identified, capable of accommodating up to 213,180 evacuees over the November 2017 to March 2018 period.
Furthermore, 216 forward bases have been set up in the 10 districts of the state and each of these bases is equipped with ample supply of food and other essential goods.
Over 14,000 people had to be evacuated at the height of the first wave of floods in Kelantan. Today, as this story is being written, 13,300 people were still at 61 relief centres in six districts.
Mohd Faudzi said he was satisfied with the rescue and management of flood evacuees at all the relief centres. Everything went smoothly as had been planned.
“Everyone is satisfied. There are no issues. We continue to make improvements on the run,” he said to Bernama.
The evacuees are also well looked after at the relief centres.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim, who was on a tour of the flood-affected areas a few days ago, said the federal government would ensure that the evacuees are given the “royal treatment” at the relief centres.
There is no reason not to. The authorities have made sure that everything necessary is available to provide the best in terms of food and other supplies to those whom the floods had ousted from their homes.
“Fresh food will also be made available for the evacuees at the relief centres. Other necessary facilities are also being arranged to make their stay there as comfortable as possible,” said Shahidan.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim also went down to the ground to check on the facilities at the relief centres.
A check by Bernama found that the evacuees were happy with the treatment at the relief centres.
Handicapped couple Ismail Ibrahim, 61, and Hanisah Dollah, 58, summed up the response from the evacuees, saying they were grateful for the facilities at the relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kamil 1, Pasir Puteh.
There may be one snag though. Some people are reluctant to move out of their flooded homes to the relief centres.
Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department director Nazili Mahmood advised these people to evacuate as soon as possible once the floodwaters started rising and before the situation became serious. — BERNAMA