BESUT, Dec 20 — The lack of heavy equipment and assets could hinder a smooth rescue operation if the second wave of floods occurs in the district tomorrow, said Besut District police chief Supt Abdul Rozak Muhammad.
He said currently, the evacuation of flood victims depended on the Besut District Council’s 10-tonne truck and if the rains continue, flooding will become more critical and more victims will need to be moved to temporary evacuation centres (PPS).
“In terms of logistics, the existing truck and boat assets are not capable of supporting the transfer of flood victims when we need to traverse strong currents. The assets we have at the moment are all small in size,” Abdul Rozak said here today.
He disclosed this during a briefing on the operation of security forces for the Besut area to the division director of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Datuk Ahmad Izram Osman, at the Jerteh fire and rescue station here.
Ahmad Izram and his team are currently involved in an aerial survey of the flood situation in Terengganu and Kelantan.
Meanwhile, Abdul Rozak said as of 12pm today, the number of victims transferred to 96 PPS in the district rose to 9,378 compared with 5,492 evacuees yesterday and if the number keeps rising, fears are that the existing PPS which are now quite crowded, will not be able to accommodate.
He said that currently a total of 172 personnel comprising police, fire brigade, Civil Defence Force, Malaysian Armed Forces, Malaysian Volunteers Department (Rela) and NGOs are involved in flood operations in Besut.
“The security team will continue to remind residents to take safety measures if the flood worsens.
“With the constraints of personnel and assets, we hope residents will respond at once when instructed, without waiting until the critical moment,” Abdul Rozak said.
— Bernama
