Malaysian government prepares for huge floods

Farrah Naz Karim, Sean Augustin, Adib Povera and Nadia Badarudin New Straits Times 31 Oct 11;

SEPANG: Several agencies will meet to finalise logistics and contingency plans in the event of huge floods, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said this was necessary even though the country had placed measures to deal with any eventuality.

The National Security Council would meet the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry and other parties soon to finalise the issues, he said.

"We are monitoring the situation closely. We have taken note of the feedback from the Meteorological Department, which said the rain the country would face would be different from usual.

"We are ready to take drastic measures and we are making early preparations for the possibility of huge floods."

He said this after a gathering here to send off Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to perform the haj.

Muhyiddin said Malaysia, which had sent US$1 million (RM3.1 million) in aid to Thailand, which is facing its worst floods in two decades, would extend aid to other neighbouring countries hit by severe floods.

On Sunday, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Southeast Asia Disaster Research Institute director Ibrahim Komoo said the monsoon season would bring about 40 per cent more rain (880mm) than last year.

He said Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, Kedah, eastern Sarawak and Sabah would be worst hit, especially during the transitional period of the northeastern monsoon this month.

The Meteorological Department had reported that heavy rain would hit eastern Kelantan and Terengganu this month, followed by Pahang and Johor from January.

In Kedah, the 100-odd residents of Kampung Titi Gajah in Anak Bukit, near Alor Star, are praying hard that the floods won't strike again.

It was a year ago today that the villagers were forced to abandon their homes and seek shelter on higher grounds for almost a week after their village was submerged by floodwaters of up to 3m.

Village elder Abdul Razak Osman, 85, said: "Besides the regular cleaning by the local authorities, we are also conducting frequent checks on drains and canals.

"We don't want to go through what we did last year when our village and a few others nearby were struck by the floods, the first in our lives."

More than 30,000 people in many parts of Kedah had to evacuate their homes at the peak of the floods last year.

Kedah National Security Council secretary Abu Bakar Sudin said it had identified about 450 flood relief centres, which could hold about 80,000 people, in flood-prone areas in Pendang, Kubang Pasu and Kota Setar districts.

He said the council would deploy about 70 boats, 60 lorries and 80 four-wheel-drive vehicles to help flood victims.

The council identified thousands of volunteers from the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Civil Defence Corps and non-governmental organisations to help flood evacuees, distribute food and provide medical aid.

Kedah Drainage and Irrigation Department director Ab Qahar Osman said the state was caught off-guard last year by the heavy rain in southern Thailand, which spilled over into the state and caused major floods.

"We may see the same pattern this year."

Preparations underway to face bad floods: DPM
Zuhrin Azam Ahmad The Star 31 Oct 11;

SEPANG: Extensive preparations are underway to face floods that are expected to be the worst in decades, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the Government was not taking any chance as weather reports indicated that the impending floods could be devastating.

“There could be a more stronger winds, more rains and stronger currents than before.

“With all these reports, the preparations must also be more than the usual,” he said Monday at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport's Bunga Raya Complex here.

Muhyiddin was speaking to newsmen after seeing off Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor who left for Saudi Arabia to perform the haj.

Muhyiddin said the National Security Council would be holding a meeting soon with departments and agencies involve in floods evacuation operation.

He said the meeting among others would be to update the agencies and departments on the situation and preparations particularly on logistic matters.

“Early preparations are already in place but we are not taking any chance and would like to see where we can further improve the preparations.

“While we have always prepared ourselves for floods, this time the situation may be unexpected,” he said.