Photo: Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: More than 6,000 temporary flood relief centres nationwide will be made ready in anticipation of the year-end floods, says Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions) Datuk Mastura Mohd Yazid.
“The Social Welfare Department has prepared 6,010 centres (with a total capacity of) 1,620,855 evacuees,” she said during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Oct 3).
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She was replying to a question by Datuk Rubiah Wang (GPS-Kota Samarahan) on the status of district disaster management committees in preparation for the expected floods.
She said the department has also prepared eight depots to serve as the main storage centres for supplies needed by flood victims.
In addition to that, some 76,336 first responders and 22,622 assets are ready for mobilisation while the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) has allocated RM30,000 for two fibreglass boats and lifejackets for each district.
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A total of 1,312 telemetry stations, 526 warning sirens and more than 100 pumps are also on standby.
In terms of funding, Mastura said RM50,000 has been allocated to each district for flood management efforts, and RM1.08mil to eight response agencies.
Mastura also said that the Chief Secretary to the Government will chair a task force on preparations for the coming north-east monsoon.
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On a related note, Mastura said the government is looking at including Opposition lawmakers in the respective districts' flood management task force.
“State reps and MPs (will have) the latest information and will be aware of problems (on the ground)," she added in response to a supplementary question by Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (PH-Hang Tuah Jaya) on the inclusion of Opposition MPs in flood management efforts.
