Terengganu is expected to be hit by five waves of floods in the monsoon season from mid-November to early February.  

State Civil Defence Department Director Lt-Kol Kamal Mokhtar said today the situation was expected to be worst in January.

NONE “Based on the forecast of the state Meteorological Department, the floods this year will be worse than last year. We are, however, prepared for any eventuality,” he told reporters in Kuala Terengganu.

He said that 1,500 of the 18,000 officers and men of the department had been trained to face the floods which are expected to start in Hulu Terengganu and Besut.

So far, 500 men skilled in handling boats, scuba diving and running evacuation centres had been put on a state of alert.

Kamal said that his men were already on round-the-clock duty in Besut, Dungun and Kuala Terengganu.

“The whole department will operate 24 hours daily once the flood hit two districts,” he added.

Every district has four four-wheel drives, a boat with life jackets and a lorry to move flood victims, apart from an ambulance for emergencies.

Kamal said that his department will start to monitor river levels on Monday and move officers to the most flood prone areas.

He also said that his department had trained 17,000 civilians on handling disasters, including floods.

To report any emergency, Kamal said, the public can call the control centre of the Terengganu Civil Defence Department at 999 or 09-6671643.

- Bernama