-The Star filepic
KUALA LUMPUR: The Disaster Operations Room (BiGBen) is on high alert as heavy rain and floods are expected with the approaching northeast monsoon period, says Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
The Works Minister said BiGBen, operated by the Public Works Department (JKR), would begin strengthening its operational readiness as thunderstorms and heavy rains are expected in the coming monsoon season this October.
He said that BiGBen would be used as a central hub for all information on any monsoon related disasters, which he encouraged all Malaysians to make use of in the coming months.
This will include real-time information on floods, landslides, road collapses, or infrastructure damage involving any federal and state roads.
Nanta encouraged the public to keep up to date on this information through JKR’s disaster management portal at bencana.jkr.gov.my, the JKR eBencana App, or from updates from the BiGBen Facebook page.
“The information we obtain is quite accurate and nearly real-time as we receive reports from our officers on the ground.
“Website or application users can also quickly see if a road is fully or partially closed and check if an alternative route has been provided,” Nanta said in a press conference at the Public Works Department (JKR) headquarters here on Friday (Sept 19).
He also revealed that a total 783.336m of bailey bridges have been prepared to overcome emergency road closures caused by disasters, with them currently distributed across seven JKR storage depots across the country.
