KEMAMAN – Individuals or any non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from COVID-19 red zones are not encouraged to come to Terengganu to deliver aid to flood victims.
Terengganu police chief, Datuk Roslee Chik said, currently, the total 6,087 personnel from 16 agencies was still ample for flood rescue and aid operations in Terengganu.
“If there are NGO which still want to come and give assistance, they must register with the district office, Social Welfare Department or the nearest police station so we know which zone they are from.
“This is because Kuala Lumpur and Selangor are still subject to Conditional Movement Control Orders …. entry into Terengganu pose a risk. Don’t worry about family safety here because the authorities are working together to help all the flood victims,” he said.
He said this to reporters after visiting the flood victims at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Mentok here, today. Also present were Kemaman district police chief, Supt Hanyan Ramlan and State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat chief Lieutenant Colonel (PA) Che Adam A Rahman.
In the meantime, he also advised all flood victims to take along valuables such as cash, jewellery and important documents to the temporary evacuation centres (PPS).
“Do not leave them at home because they may get stolen. However, the police guarantee that they will patrol more often in the areas of vacated houses.
“I also had the opportunity to do a survey and found that there are still children left to play in the floods unsupervised. Probably their excuse is that they are used to the situation but this is very dangerous and should not be taken lightly because the children can drown in strong currents,” he said.
Asked about the incident of three vehicles drifting in Kemaman so far, Roslee said it happened because the drivers did not take into account the risk when driving on a flooded road.
“If you see a road inundated by flood water ahead, never try to drive on because this very dangerous. Use other alternative routes for safety,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Kemaman, three in a family were almost drowned when their car sank on a road shoulder which was under flood water in an incident in Peringkat 4, Bandar Cheneh Baru here, today at 6.30 am.
Bandar Cheneh Baru Fire and Rescue Station chief assistant superintendent Mohamad Hanif Che Khalid said the 34-year-old driver, wife and six-year-old child were said to have left the house to buy breakfast.
“Nevertheless, they managed to scramble out of the car on to higher ground after breaking the window screen,” he said when contacted today.
Observe SOP
The Ministry of Health (MOH) meanwhile advises flood victims who are housed at Temporary Evacuation Centres (PPS) in Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang to always take care of their own health, practice physical distancing and wear face masks.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said congestions such as in PPS could increase the risk of transmissions of diseases in a situation where the country is still plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this regard, compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the practise of new norms by all flood victims in PPS should be given due attention by all agencies involved.
“In addition, flood victims also need to inform the health personnel if they are symptomatic and obey other instructions given by the authorities from time to time,” he said in a statement today.
Dr Noor Hisham also informed that the Rantau Panjang Health Clinic, Kelantan was also affected by the floods and the related services were transferred to Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Gual Tinggi.
He said 49 teams of medical and health personnel from the District Health Offices (PKD) were mobilised to PPS which were opened to provide health screening and treatment services.
“Disease prevention and control activities are carried out continuously. The results of the monitoring carried out until now found that no outbreaks of infectious diseases occurred in PPS, “he said.
Dr Noor Hisham said three more new clusters were identified today in Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Johor, respectively.
The first cluster is known as the Metropolis Construction Site Cluster involving the Kepong district.
Covid-19 positive cases from the cluster were reported starting Dec 14 through workplace screening at a construction site and so far 147 cases have been detected positive.
In Sabah, it is known as the Maju Estate Cluster involving Kota Kinabalu, Putatan and Tuaran districts with the index case reported positive on Dec 8 through screening of symptomatic individuals and to date 28 cases had been detected positive Covid-19.
The third cluster is called Cluster Batu 39 involving Pontian district, Johor, with the index case reported positive COVID-19 on Dec 18 through targeted screening at work and to date 28 cases had been detected positive.
— BERNAMA
