Agong advises people to brace for possible second wave of massive floods

KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah today advised the people, especially in the east coast states, as well as Johor and Sabah, to brace themselves for a possible second wave of massive floods.

Comptroller of the Royal Household for Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the royal advice followed the yellow alert of continuous rain issued by the Meteorological Department yesterday for the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor and Sabah which is expected to continue until Jan 2 next year.

"His Majesty also advises the people, especially those residing in flood-prone areas to pay extra attention to the weather forecast and warnings issued by the department and to always be alert if the water level rises due to continuous downpour.

"They are also advised to adhere to all instructions and guidelines given by the local authorities, such as the instruction to evacuate for their safety and the safety of their families," he said in a statement today.

While expressing concern about the people's wellbeing, Ahmad Fadil said the King also called on all quarters to learn from previous flood experiences to overcome the weakness and shortcomings in facing any eventuality, especially in handling post-flood matters.

Ahmad Fadil said Al-Sultan Abdullah also advised the relevant government agencies and local authorities to stay vigilant and proactive in ensuring the highest level of preparedness, coordination and management to face the second wave of floods.

He said His Majesty also expressed hope and confidence that early preparations would enable proper actions, rescue operations and assistance for the flood victims, especially those in remote or high-density areas to be executed quickly and effectively.

"His Majesty also called on all Malaysians to pray that the second wave of floods would not prolong and for the country to be spared from any other form of disasters and calamities," he added.

-- BERNAMA