Monsoon season is arriving and authorities are gearing up to prepare for major floods in the East Coast. Food and rescue boats are being prepared.
Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan are expected to receive the worst of the floods in mid-November, hence 666 units of relief centres which can house up to 165,000 people have been prepared. Other natural disasters that are expected during this monsoon season are landslides and mudflows.
According to a Pahang Meteorological Department spokesman, they expect the rains to begin in mid-November followed by heavy rainfalls from December 2016 to January 2017. The department has also identified November 14 and December 14 to have exceptionally high tides which could lead to flooding 385 areas in the state.
The situation will be monitored, and warnings will be issued 48 hours in advance. Officials will ensure that residents are evacuated before the floods hit dangerous levels.
Should the floods hit serious levels, parts of the East Coast Highway will be cut off. It is expected that Jalan Ubai in Pekan, Pahang will also be cut off.
Mudflows are also expected in several bauxite mining areas in Kuantan and in certain areas of Beserah the beach town, and 118 landslide sites have also been identified.
The flood rescue team will be on alert in full force from November 15, while 107 bases will have food stockpiled in them from November 7.
From Kelantan civil defence director Zainuddin Hussin from Kota Baru, everything is in place and they are prepared; and according to Pahang Crisis Relief Squad of MCA (CRSM) chief Chang Hong Seong, all their members are on standby.
Terengganu civil defence director Che Adam A. Rahman state that the community leaders at flood-prone areas are ready. Approximately 500 places in the state has been identified as flood evacuation centres, and the community leaders have also had training with flood simulation exercises conducted for them; and they will know how to react and where to head to in the event of a flood.
Image sourced from Inquisitr
Diane Foo Eu Lynn, Senior Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email diane@propertyguru.com.my
