SEGAMAT, March 2 — Flood victims have been urged to follow orders to evacuate to ensure rescue and relief efforts can be carried out smoothly when relocating them to a safer place.

Local Government Development Deputy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the operation would be easier when the victims themselves voluntarily move and help in the relocation effort by the agencies involved including the Fire and Rescue Department Malaysia (JBPM).

"Imagine, in a housing area with 400 houses and each house would require at least five minutes to be relocated but when a victim refuses to move, this will only make things difficult,” he told a press conference at the Segamat Fire and Rescue Fire Station, here today.

He was commenting on an incident where the bodies of two senior citizens were found this morning at Kampung Kwongsai in Chaah, Segamat after being trapped in the house because they did not anticipate their homes to be flooded.

He said Segamat was hit by floods early Tuesday morning due to continuous heavy rain since Monday.

"The Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call at 2am and quickly deployed fire engines and personnel to help in the rescue effort,” he said.

He added that 738 rescuers, 58 fire engines and 25 boats were deployed in the rescue mission at Chaah, Labis and Segamat on March 1. — Bernama