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KOTA BARU – The Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department has identified 595 hotspots that are at risk of flooding during the northeast monsoon season this year.
Its director Zainal Madasin said the hotspots involve seven districts in the state that frequently experience flooding every year.
“It involves Gua Musang, Kuala Krai, Rantau Panjang, Tumpat, Kota Baru, Tanah Merah, and Jeli. These hotspots are mostly in village areas.
“We will focus more (on these areas) because they are frequently flooded every year and monitoring has begun since the middle of this month (September),” he said at a press conference after a monthly assembly, at the department’s Kelantan headquarters in Tunjong, here today.
Earlier, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) predicted that the country would experience continuous heavy rain from mid-November, leading to major floods at the end of that month.
MetMalaysia expects the weather impact to be more significant given that the northeast monsoon is active during that period, which brings the risk of continuous heavy rain and large-scale flooding.
Commenting further, Zainal said firemen have started monitoring conditions, especially involving the water levels of the main rivers in each district.
“The monitoring is (in the form of) a report to be submitted to the state and central natural disaster management before further action is taken,” he said.
Zainal said nearly 1,300 officers and personnel including auxiliary and volunteer firemen have been trained for duty throughout the northeast monsoon period. – Bernama, September 28, 2022