KUALA BERANG, Jan 4 — The permanent disaster relief centre at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Matang here has been fully upgraded from a temporary relief centre and is now ready for use.
National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) director-general Meor Ismail Meor Akim said the upgrading works involved converting an unused hostel block at the school into a permanent disaster relief centre, carried out from July to December last year at a cost of about RM907,000.
He said the facility is the third such centre completed nationwide, following the completion of two similar centres in Johor — at Dewan Taman Kota Jaya and Dewan Arena Segitiga in Kota Tinggi.
“We plan to establish 15 permanent disaster relief centres nationwide, either through new construction or by upgrading existing temporary centre facilities, and this is the third to be completed after the two in Johor.
“We aim to ensure greater comfort for flood victims, and we also hope the centre can be utilised outside the flood season so that it does not become a wasted facility,” he told reporters after officiating the handover ceremony of the SMK Matang centre here today.
Meor Ismail said the SMK Matang centre, which can accommodate more than 200 flood victims at any one time, is equipped with improved facilities, including disability-friendly toilets.
The centre also comprises seven rooms and a storage area that can serve as a forward base for essential supplies and food distribution during flood emergencies.
Meanwhile, he said all relevant agencies are on full alert in preparation for the next phase of the Northeast Monsoon (NEM), which is expected to begin tomorrow.
“Several states are currently experiencing floods, and this is only the middle of the monsoon season. Another surge of heavy rain is forecast from tomorrow, and all agencies have been on standby since the early stages,” he said. — Bernama
