KOTA TINGGI, Jan 7 — The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) will mobilise its personnel and logistic assets to states which have been badly affected by floods, said its director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.

He said currently, 12,500 members and officers from 320 fire and rescue stations throughout the country have been put on standby for deployment in case the flood situation worsens.

He said 220 to 280 land assets, 450 marine assets and five helicopters are also ready to be deployed at any moment.

"Looking at the current (flood) situation and if it becomes critical, leave will be frozen but we believe these 12,500 firefighters are sufficient to deal with the case,” he said at a news conference in conjunction with his working visit to the Kota Tinggi Fire and Rescue Station here today.

Mohammad Hamdan said the department has also identified assets from Negeri Sembilan and Melaka to be mobilised to the states affected by floods.

"We have outlined this strategy since October, besides cooperating with the Civil Defence Force, police and the armed forces,” he added.

He said bad weather conditions have caused floods in six states, namely, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Kelantan, Perak and Sabah, with 410 relief centres opened to accommodate 36,424 victims from 9,620 families. — Bernama