Baling floods: Home Ministry mobilises agencies to assist
Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin said the operation was led by Kedah police chief Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad involving various agencies under the ministry, including the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), Immigration Department, National Registration Department, National Anti-Drug Agency and Prisons Department...
The Home Ministry has mobilised all its agencies through ‘Op Bantu Baling’ to coordinate assistance and rescue operations for flood victims in Baling, Kedah.
Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin said the operation was led by Kedah police chief Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad involving various agencies under the ministry, including the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), Immigration Department, National Registration Department, National Anti-Drug Agency and Prisons Department.
He said 164 police personnel had been deployed and a total of 44 police vehicles and emergency equipment were sent to the disaster location, including four boats, eight lorries and three four-wheel-drive vehicles.
"A total of 46 Rela volunteers have also been deployed to help flood victims in the affected areas and assigned to temporary relief centres," Hamzah said in a statement issued in Kuala Lumpur last night.
Those who want to get information on the flood situation can contact the police’s Malaysian Control Centre (MCC) at 03-2266 3333 / 03-2266 3444 / 03-2266 3451 or MERS 999.
The flood incident and water surge phenomenon that occurred in Baling at about 4.30pm yesterday claimed three lives and three relief centres were opened to accommodate more than 1,400 flood victims.
A total of 1,424 flood victims from 93 families are still seeking shelter at three relief centres (PPS) around Kupang, near Baling, as at 8pm yesterday.
Baling District Civil Defence officer Rasidah Kassim said in a statement last night that all the victims were placed at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Jerai, Surau An-Nur in Taman Mesra Kupang and SMK Agama Yayasan Khairiah.
Several villages around Kupang were reported to be hit by flash floods following continuous rain for three hours yesterday, causing the Sungai Kupang water to overflow into the local residential areas by the riverside.
Meanwhile, seven houses were washed away by strong currents while about 70 others were damaged by the floods.
- Bernama
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