About 50 staff of the Hulu Terengganu Hospital braved the floods this morning to come to work - in backhoes!

The Disaster Operations Room of the Hulu Terengganu District Office had made available three excavators to ferry hospital staff, patients and visitors across the a one-kilometre stretch of flooded access roads.

Terengganu Director of Health Dr Mohammad Omar said the hospital had considered using trucks to ferry more people at any one time but was advised against it because of the swift-flowing floodwaters.

"The backhoes were the safer option," he said to Bernama when contacted.

Dr Mohammad said the hospital would have to make use of lorries to cover the flooded stretch in the case of emergencies to admit patients or transfer patients to the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital.

"Ambulances will be placed on standby at passable roads beyond the flooded stretch to take over the task of moving the patients," he added.

Dr Mohammad advised visitors to the hospital to make the trip only if they had important matters to attend to.

Patients who were not in critical condition could turn up at the Kuala Berang or Ajil health clinics which could be accessed by light vehicles, he said. -- Bernama