KUALA BERANG, Dec 8 — A total of 21 early warning flood siren stations have been installed all over Terengganu to ensure the people are alerted to flood situations.
State Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) deputy director (development) Osman Abdullah said six early warning flood siren stations were installed in Setiu; five in Hulu Terengganu; four stations in Kemaman; three in Besut and one each in Kuala Terengganu, Kuala Nerus and Marang.
“The early warning siren stations are placed near rivers that are close to housing areas. It emits two sounds; the first is a warning sound which means that the river water level has overflowed its banks while the second means the water level has reached a dangerous level and residents should prepare to be evacuated.
“Both sounds can be heard over a radius of about one kilometer from the location the siren stations are installed,” he said to reporters after attending a briefing on the department’s preparations for the north-east monsoon at Kampung Pengkalan Ajal here today.
He said additional stations will be installed from time to time to ensure that residents, especially those living near rivers are prepared to be relocated in case water levels rise suddenly.
In the meantime, he said preparations this year have been intensified with the addition of 34 forecast and flood warning stations under Phase One of the Flood Forecast and Warning Programme (PRAB) at the Sungai Terengganu basin covering Sungai Telemong, Sungai Berangan and Sungai Nerus.
“We are also in the midst of installing 66 stations under Phase Two of PRAB and it is expected to be ready in November 2022. With the completion of both phases, Terengganu will have 159 flood monitoring stations.
“The objective of PRAB is to predict flood seven days in advance and to enhance the ability to issue warning two days earlier to agencies like Nadma (National Disaster Management Agency) and APM (Malaysian Civil Defence Department),” he said.
He said since the relocation of flood victims can be carried out earlier and more systematically, it can limit damage to properties and save lives.
He also said that the Terengganu DID had completed carrying out river, stream and drain maintenance works all over the state this year, involving allocations totalling RM6.6 million from the Ministry of Environment and Water and the state government. — Bernama
