Kelantan residents urged to prepare for third wave of floods

Residents in Kelantan have been urged to always be prepared in the event of a third wave of floods following the uncertain weather, currently. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said they should comply with directives to evacuate issued by the authorities and not wait until the last minute. "I urge them to be always prepared and evacuate quickly when told to do so. It is a big problem when people move out when the water had risen and in certain places, people moved out only when we forced them to do so," he told reporters after launching the Post Flood Resident Health Preservation Programme at Sekolah Kebangsaan Tengku Indera Petra, Wakaf Mek Zainab here, today. Shahidan said the government via its departments and agencies was prepared for the possibility of a third wave of floods including in terms of transportation, flood relief centres and food supply. "All heads of districts in the state have been directed to always be prepared to face any possibility but we hope if it takes place at all it will not be as bad as the second wave last month," he said. During the second wave last month, more than 104,000 people were evacuated to relief centres statewide. Shahidan said the National Security Council would register all volunteers including from higher institutions of learning, involved in helping during and after the floods, to facilitate their mobilisation in the future. He said the spirit of volunteerism they displayed was very high and the government greatly appreciated their contributions. During the programme, Syarikat Indah Water Konsortium launched an operation to empty the septic tanks of all schools affected by the floods.