Do not underestimate the danger of floods - Fire and Rescue Dept

JOHOR BAHRU: The public are advised to not endanger their lives by trying to brave the floods to evacuate themselves from their residences or driving through floodwaters in their vehicles.

Johor Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Yahya Madis said such actions should not be done as floods, the strength of currents and water depth can be hard to predict, all of which can lead to life-threatening situations.

"We cannot estimate the water current and depth...take your time and wait for other vehicles; if there are bigger and heavier vehicles passing through first, we can make an estimate.

"Do not brave the waters alone and cause your vehicle to be swept away by currents...if you enter an unfamiliar road and notice it's flooded, stop and get some information first," he said.

He made the comments after conducting an aerial check in Kluang, Kota Tinggi and Mersing using an AW 139 helicopter from the department's air unit here today.

Meanwhile, Yahya again advised the public to evacuate to relief centres when asked by the authorities and not make their own assumptions that floods are not dangerous.

He said the public needed to pack and prepare to leave to a safe place and contact the fire department or any other agency for assistance instead of endangering themselves and their families by evacuating on their own.

"I hope that the residents understand our duty...we have patrolled many areas and given advice, so I ask for their cooperation to not waste our time by making us spend a lot of time trying to persuade them to evacuate," he said.

Regarding the aerial check conducted today, Yahya said although rains were dissipating today, Bandar Kota Tinggi and the interior areas of Mersing were still flooded.

"Other districts such as Johor Bahru and Kluang in general have improved and we hope the fair weather we've been experiencing for the past two days continues," he said.

He added that 1,221 officers and personnel in the state were mobilised in the past two days with 42 boats, 43 four-wheel-drive vehicles, nine lorries and 18 emergency medical rescue services (EMRS) units.

-- BERNAMA