PASIR MAS: A total of 872 volunteer counsellors registered with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) have been deployed to seven flood-hit states, said its deputy minister Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff.

She said the move was to help the traumatised flood victims to recover from the emotional turmoil and address the problems that they are facing.

"We have a total of 423 volunteer counsellors in Selangor, followed by Kuala Lumpur (126), Perak (91), Negeri Sembilan (70), Kelantan (68), Pahang (57) and Melaka (37) to provide counselling services to victims housed at temporary flood relief centres," she told reporters after distributing aid to residents in Rantau Panjang here today.

Siti Zailah said KPWKM has a total of 1,500 registered volunteer counsellors nationwide, adding that counsellors from states that are not affected by the flood are welcomed to help.

"Flood victims, especially in Selangor and Pahang, are suffering from trauma after losing their property in the floods, some even lost family members. So, counsellors' role is to help them, at least to ease their burden," she added.

-- BERNAMA