KUALA LUMPUR: The Fire and Rescue Department has identified more than 5,600 flooding hotspots. The department also identified 254 critical slopes, as well as 201 locations where water surges, known as kepala air, can happen.
Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said his department had taken measures to deal with floods and other disasters.
"We have identified 5,648 flooding hotspots, 254 critical slopes and 201 locations where water surges can occur.
"A total of 1,066 flood hotspots have been identified in Sarawak followed by 798 in Sabah, 750 in Pahang, 745 in Johor and 617 in Kelantan," he told the New Sunday Times.
He added that 36 critical slopes were identified in Sabah followed by Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor with 25 critical slopes respectively.
"Sabah leads the charts with 52 locations identified where water surges could occur. This is followed by 39 in Kedah, 19 in Sarawak, and 18 each in Terengganu and Kelantan."
Nor Hisham said his department was keeping up to date with information on water levels at rivers, flooding situations and bad weather.
He said this was done via information from the Drainage and Irrigation Department, National Disaster Control Centre and Meteorological Department's portals, as well as the Public Works Department Slope Engineering Division and the Minerals and Geoscience Department.
"We also activated flood control rooms at state-level Operations Control Centres, which act as information hubs for flood matters.
"Rapid Emergency Deployment (Red) Teams, which act as strike teams that can be deployed within an hour of receiving orders, have been implemented.
"Twenty-two Red Teams have been assembled, comprising 379 personnel, 54 boats, 32 trucks and 38 utility vehicles."
He said each team would include one operations commander and a minimum of four personnel.
He added that these teams would be active throughout the monsoon period.
"We will have 13,393 personnel on duty with 8,398 volunteer firemen and 2,147 auxiliary personnel to back them up.
"We have 932 assets ready during this period."
He said Regional Forward Bases have also been set up in three zones to plan and deploy assets, equipment and manpower.
The bases are: Northern Region Air Base in Penang, Eastern Fire and Rescue Academy in Terengganu, and Ayer Hitam Fire and Rescue Station in Johor.
"We have implemented internal and inter-agency exercises to boost skills and coordination with other agencies in handling flood operations.
"We are also ensuring that land, air and water assets are ready and have been placed in strategic locations for deployment."
He added that state Fire and Rescue Departments had been ordered to test their assets and equipment.
He said their records showed that between January and Oct 15 this year, they had responded to 481 distress calls on floods nationwide.
"Our records also show that last year, we received 752 calls on floods in the country."
Last year, he said, 16,537 people were displaced by floods nationwide compared with 6,505 victims reported between January and Oct 15 this year.