JOHOR BARU, Dec 31 — The Johor Department of Civil Defence Malaysia (JPAM) is ready in terms of assets and personnel to face the third wave of floods expected to strike the state early next month. Johor JPAM director Col Mat Zin Bujang said the current floods in the state were under control and the JPAM personnel were being stationed at the activated flood relief centres.
“We have 280 personnel who are ready to be mobilised within three hours of floods striking the state. We also have 600 personnel to be deployed at the height of the floods,” he said when asked about the preparations to face the third wave of floods in the state.
He spoke to reporters before flagging off a flood disaster humanitarian aid mission to Kelantan at the Johor JPAM headquarters in Bandar Baru Uda here. Members of the Johor 4x4 Adventure Club also joined the mission. The aid mission to Kelantan is the first phase of assistance involving two JPAM lorries and 20 four-wheel-drive vehicles carrying food supplies such as rice, sugar, milk and canned food as well as bath soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sanitary pads, prayer robes, sarong and prayer mats.
The second and third phases of assistance will involve aid for Terengganu and Pahang, respectively.
Mat Zin said the Johor JPAM had 25 boats of various types, nine four-wheel-drive vehicles, 10 ambulances and nine lorries to be deployed for flood-relief operations.
Johor now has 172 people from 42 families at six flood evacuation centres, two of them in Batu Pahat and four in Segamat. — Bernama
