Ahmad Samsuri Praises Govt Agencies For Efficient Flood Victim Management

KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 21 (Bernama) -- Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar has praised the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) and various other government agencies, for efficiently managing flood victims in the state.

He said that it followed the smooth process of evacuating and managing flood victims at temporary relief centres (PPS), in all locations involved, even though the number of evacuees statewide had reached almost 1,700 people as of this afternoon.

“So far, I have seen that NADMA and all agencies involved in flood management have actually done early preparations,” said Ahmad Samsuri, who is also the state assemblyman for Ru Redang, after visiting flood evacuees at the temporary relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Chendering here today.

“Also, based on the experience and simulation training done together with the Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) and all government agencies, I think that the management is the best,” he said while praising the management of schools in the affected districts for making the best decisions in assessing the operations of the school session.

“The schools know what to do, and some schools have decided to take 'disaster leave' while some have decided to continue (school sessions)... until noon today,” he said.

However, he said that, among the issues which need attention at the relief centres now, are the quality of goods for the victims' needs, especially food supplies, and whether they are still fit for consumption.

He said that this is because the food supplies were delivered well before the flood situation, but he understands the need to do so, as this step was a preliminary preparation.

“We want to ensure that food supplies are still good...because we don't even know how long this flood will last,” he added.

Continuous rain for the past two days has caused the number of flood evacuees in four districts in the state, namely Kuala Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Setiu, and Marang, to continue to rise, to 1,679 people, from 462 families, who are currently accommodated in 15 relief centres, as of noon today.

The flooding is the result of continuous heavy rain during the Northeast Monsoon, which is expected to last until March next year. It has also caused 12 schools in Terengganu to be closed, while nine others have been turned into relief centres.

-- BERNAMA