Kuala Lumpur:A total of 101,901 officers and personnel from various rescue agencies have been placed on standby, with more than 40,000 assets ready for deployment during the Northeast Monsoon, which is expected to last until March next year.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) Operations Coordination Section principal assistant director Major Wazirudin Mahfot@Mahbott stated that the personnel include 47,100 members of the People's Volunteer Corps (RELA), 21,477 police personnel, 15,145 firefighters, 12,927 civil defence personnel, and 5,252 armed forces personnel.
The preparations involve coordination among various agencies to ensure efficient rescue operations, evacuations, and disaster management in the event of floods or other disasters. The assets on standby include 2,024 four-wheel-drive vehicles, 1,177 other vehicles, 174 ambulances, 2,425 boats, 28 aircraft, 27 drones, and 35,301 life jackets.
Technical agencies, including the Public Works Department and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), have also made available support assets comprising 17 units of heavy machinery, 575 mobile pumps, and 30 generator sets. DID has identified 3,045 flood hotspots nationwide, with Kelantan recording the highest number at 609, followed by Pahang with 572, Terengganu with 460, and Sabah with 348.
Data from the Department of Mineral and Geoscience highlighted 31 landslide hotspots, including areas such as Gunung Jerai in Kedah, Tanjung Bungah in Penang, Kundasang in Sabah, and Cameron Highlands in Pahang. The government has designated 8,321 temporary relief centres nationwide, with a combined capacity of about 1.9 million people, along with two permanent relief centres in Johor and Pahang capable of accommodating 1,600 people.
On food supplies, 60,000 food kits and 170,000 retort food packs have been allocated, with 29,900 food kits and 94,510 retort food packs already distributed to all states. The remaining supplies will be distributed According to needs of each state.