KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 5,422 temporary evacuation centres (PPS), capable of accommodating up to 1.55 million people, have been prepared to face the floods during the monsoon season, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.
Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof said each PPS could house at least 200 flood victims at any one time.
He also said the staff members at the PPS were also prepared with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the National Security Council (MKN) to address the spread of Covid-19 among the evacuees placed at the centres.
“The National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) will continue to work closely with each state disaster management committee, state Civil Defence Force and other relevant agencies through engagement sessions involving management, disaster simulation, community capacity building and as well as ways to increase the resilience of all parties involved,” he said.
Mohd Redzuan said this in his reply to a question from Che Alias ??Hamid (PAS-Kemaman), who wanted to know the level of preparedness of Nadma in facing the floods this monsoon season, as well as compliance with the SOPs to curb the spread of the virus infection at the PPS, during the ‘Minister’s Question Time’ session.
Mohd Redzuan also said 15,000 units of cubicle tents had been distributed for the use of flood evacuees at the PPS, while another 26,000 units would be sent later in stages.
“To ensure that the pandemic (Covid-19) can continue to be curbed during the northeast monsoon season, Nadma is coordinating the procurement of personal protection equipment (PPE) for the use of frontliners,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Redzuan said through Nadma’s recommendations, telecommunications companies had developed a system of early disaster warning to the people through their corporate social responsibility as well as the deployment of short messaging service (SMS) system, which would be implemented between November and March every year.
He said early warnings would be sent to residents in flood-prone areas so that they would stay vigilant, or able to move to safer places if the need arises.
“Early warning for residents in flood-prone locations based on forecasts from leading agencies, namely the Meteorological Department and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, via the flood forecast and alert programme,” he said. — Bernama
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