Residents in flood-prone areas urged to keep emergency bags

IPOH, Oct 30 -- Residents living in flood-prone areas have been advised to have emergency bags on standby which they could easily carry while fleeing to safety when such disasters strike. 

Rivercare programme manager of the Global Environment Centre (GEC) Dr K Kalithasan, said the emergency bags aptly known as the 'Grab Bag' and the '72H Kit' were important for flood victims as they need to have supplies while being housed at the temporary relief centres (PPS) and awaiting further assistance.

“The emergency bags can be purchased or they could be self-made and filled with basic items to survive for up to three days.

“The grab bag must be equipped with all identification papers and important documents, medical devices and daily essentials, while the 72H Kit should contain food supplies for up to 72 hours or for three days which had to be packed together,” he told reporters at a two-day community-preparedness training workshop in Perak. 

It was organised by the Malaysia Water Partnership (MyWP) and GEC in collaboration with the Drainage and Irrigation Department, National Disaster Management Agency and Universiti Putra Malaysia. 

Also present were Perak Public Amenities and Infrastructure, Agriculture and Plantation Committee Chairman Abdul Yunus Jamahri and MyWP vice-chairman 1, Datuk Hanapi Mohamad Noor.

-- BERNAMA