OVER 1,000 POLICE PERSONNEL AFFECTED BY FLOODS IN KELANTAN - AYOB KHAN

TUMPAT, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- Over 1,000 police personnel from 469 families in Kelantan are affected by floods, said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.

He said that all of them are currently placed in several General Operations Force (GOF) camps.

"When the floods occurred, they (the police personnel) did not have time to save their belongings as they were involved in flood duties.

"The water level rose so abruptly that most of them could not save their belongings and were left with nothing," he told reporters after surveying the Taman Sri Bayu housing estate, which houses 112 police officers and its rank and file.

Ayob Khan said they will extend disaster emergency assistance to the affected personnel.

Earlier, Ayob Khan distributed aid to 14 personnel at the Ketereh Police Station and quarters in Kota Bharu that were inundated.

Meanwhile, Sgt Zani Irwan Zainuddin, 46, of the Keterah Police Station, said he never expected the quarters would be flooded.

"It was raining heavily at that time and, suddenly water started rising to the knee level.

"My family and I then quickly moved our belongings to higher ground," he said, adding that they've only been staying at the quarters for five months.

Ketereh Police Station public officer Siti Salimah Mahamud, 40, said she and her six family members had to move to higher grounds at the police station after the road leading to her house in Kampung Hutan Pasir, Ketereh, here was flooded.

"We stayed at the police station for four days with the other affected personnel due to the stagnant water around us and, besides, no vehicles could reach us," she said.

On Thursday (Dec 5), Kelantan police recorded preliminary losses amounting to RM1.55 million due to floods which hit the state, resulting in damage to police stations, posts, vehicles and equipment.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah was quoted as saying that 10 police stations, four police posts and one GOF post were so badly affected that they could not operate.

-- BERNAMA