HULU TERENGGANU:The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has advised residents in flooded areas here to always comply with the order to evacuate to a temporary evacuation centre (PPS) when told to do so by the authorities.

Kuala Berang Fire and Rescue Station Chief Hanaffi Mohd said it was to facilitate the evacuation process and prevent unwanted incidents.

The advice was issued following an incident of a woman with four children in Kampung Lenjang here who refused to move to a PPS even though all the routes to her house were flooded, forcing firefighters to take 30 minutes to persuade her to move.

“Before that, a member of the Village Community Management Council (MPKK) of the village asked for help from JBPM to send food to the woman and her children, as they had run out of food and all the roads to her house were flooded.

“However, we decided to not only send food but also bring the woman and her children to a PPS. We also had to 'lure' her children with a ride in a fire truck to induce them to evacuate," he told reporters at the woman's house here.

According to him, if there was an emergency at midnight and the water level in the area rose higher, it could endanger the lives of the woman, her children and the members who carried out the rescue operation.

The young mother finally agreed to move at 12.15 am.

-- BERNAMA