BUTTERWORTH: Firemen are now keeping a close eye on more than 200 flood-prone areas in the country as storms from the northeast monsoon get more frequent, says the Fire and Rescue Department director-general.

       Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said these areas were identified by cross-reference data from the Malaysian Meteorological Department and Irrigation and Drainage Department.

       He said areas such as Maran and Lipis in Pahang and Kota Tinggi in Johor were now facing severe floods too.

       “Data shows that floods in these areas can be even worse than in states like Kelantan and Terengganu,” he added.

       He said the department was also keeping track of floods reported by the public in other areas and high-risk hillslopes that might be hit by landslides during downpours.

       He added that these areas had been closely watched since September and if the situation becomes critical, firemen’s leave applications would be frozen.

       Mohammad Hamdan said the department had all its land, air and sea assets ready to deploy for the monsoon season, which is expected to be prolonged until next March.

       He said that 12,897 firemen from 324 fire stations were on standby and if there was a need to mobilise firemen to other states, the department would do so.

       On the use of drones to monitor floods, Mohammad Hamdan said they were normally used to monitor forest fires, but they would also be used in case of flooding across vast areas, adding that drones were more cost-effective than helicopters.