SEREMBAN, April 1 — The Negri Sembilan Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) has incurred losses amounting to RM20 million as a result of damage to various assets and flood mitigation systems, including rainfall stations, following the floods that hit the state in December last year.

Its director, Saari Abdullah, said that post-flood repair work was currently being implemented and was expected to be completed soon, through a federal government allocation of RM14 million.

"The DID has formulated short and long-term strategies to deepen the affected rivers due to sediment build-up during floods, resulting in shallow rivers.

"Therefore, we need to deepen the rivers so that they can accommodate heavy rainwater in the future, and also conduct repairs to damaged structures,” he told reporters in conjunction with the state Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre open day, officiated by Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, here today.

Meanwhile, Aminuddin said that via Phase 2 of the flood forecasting programme in Negri Sembilan under the 12th Malaysia Plan, a total of 106 of the existing rainfall stations would be upgraded, while 41 new stations would be built, involving an allocation of RM7.2 million from the federal government.

He said the stations are expected to be able to provide flood forecasts and warnings a week earlier than the two days previously.

He added that the stations will also be able to alert potentially affected residents to evacuate immediately, thus giving space to rescue agencies to formulate effective evacuation strategies.

"I have been informed that the new siren system will fully use solar energy, with a much stronger sound capability reaching one to two kilometres, compared with the previous system which only reached 500 metres away,” he said.

Aminuddin also hoped for the cooperation of the Village Community Management Council (MPKK), appointed as "Sahabat Siren” in their respective districts, to assist the government in conveying information on the flood warning siren system to residents. — Bernama