BAGAN DATUK, Nov 4 — Seven more Bailey bridges will be installed in several identified flood-prone areas in preparation of the north-east monsoon that is expected to hit the country this November.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in his capacity of National Disaster Management Committee chairman said the bridges were part of preparations for floods, along with permanent relief shelters.

He said coordination between the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and other enforcement agencies have been held to craft strategies and action plans as early preparations.

"Nadma has ordered the bridges, and also cooperated with the Education Ministry to create permanent relief shelters at schools that have been used previously as temporary relief shelters.

"Permanent relief shelters that are built will have toilets and showers according to the potential number of evacuees and during non-flood seasons, it can be used as halls for schools,” he told reporters after attending a Deepavali function at the Bagan Datuk Umno Complex here today.

Ahmad Zahid added that at least 67 districts throughout the country have been identified as flood-prone areas and that the national disaster management committee has obtained a list of flood evacuees who needed to be housed in shelters during the monsoon period.

He shared that the government had allocated RM500 million under the Budget 2024 tabled by the Prime Minister for flood mitigation programmes and expected that there would be additional costs incurred by 2030.

In Perak, 280 evacuees from 78 families are housed in four shelters in Hilir Perak and Kerian districts as of this evening. — Bernama