JOHOR BARU: The Fire and Rescue Department has identified 4,795 flood hotspot locations throughout the country
Its director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said they had also identified 186 water surge hotspots and 254 critical slopes nationwide.
“We are monitoring the latest flood situation that is currently affecting 14 districts involving five states, with a total of 2,763 people placed in 22 temporary relief centres.
“The department advises the public, especially those living in hotspots, to always be prepared for any possibility,” he told a press conference at the Persada International Convention Centre here on Tuesday (Dec 13).
He added that Sarawak has the highest number of flood hotspots with 1,034 locations, followed by Kelantan (595), Pahang (554), Sabah (520) and Johor (432).
Mohammad Hamdan advised the people, including local authorities, to temporarily stop recreational activities, especially in high-risk areas such as mountains, hills, rivers and beaches, during monsoon season.
“We understand this year-end holiday period, many families are definitely planning leisure activities in certain areas, but we hope that these can be stopped for a while for now.
“Areas at risk of water surge phenomena, large waves and even flash floods in particular need to be given more attention and preparation to ensure that there are no unwanted incidents during this period,” he added.-The Star