MARANG: A total of 93 recreational areas nationwide are at risk of water surge incidents.
Deputy Local Government Development Minister Akmal Nasarullah Mohd Nasir said that these are areas with waterfalls, rivers and beaches under the supervision of the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM).
He said measures are taken to reduce the risk of accidents in the affected areas, including various awareness programmes and the ASEAN-level Water Activity Safety Council, in June.
“There are 93 areas at risk of water surge recorded from 2019 to 2023. We are constantly intensifying our efforts to increase public awareness, to avoid untoward incidents.
“For this, we have Safety Water and Rescue Team Auxiliary Fire Officers (PBB SWART),” he said at the closing ceremony of the Fire Science Certificate Course here today.
According to Akmal Nasarullah, a total of 1,464 drowning cases were reported in six years.
“As of May this year, a total of 168 drowning cases were recorded,” he said.
He also extended his condolences to the families of the victims of the water surge tragedy in Jeram Air Putih, Kemaman, Terengganu, on Saturday, July 1.-Bernama