CAMERON HIGHLANDS, Jan 6 ― Government agencies and residents in the southern region have been urged to be alert and adhere to standard operating procedures (SOP) to face the fourth wave of the Northeast Monsoon which is now moving to the south.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said state agencies and committees need to be ready to take immediate action to deal with disasters brought about by MTL, including floods.

"The fourth wave of the MTL (Northeast Monsoon) has shifted to the south and I hope immediate actions in accordance with the SOP stipulated by Nadma (National Disaster Management Agency) and also APM (Malaysian Civil Defence Force) and other agencies can followed by all the committees and also the agencies involved,” he told reporters after visiting the landslide disaster site in the Orang Asli settlement of Sungai Ruil, Tanah Rata, here today.

Earlier, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the National Disaster Management Committee chairman visited the Temporary Relief Centre (PPS) of the Sungai Ruil Orang Asli Kampung hall which housed 88 victims from 17 families affected by the incident on October 12 last year.

Commenting on the flood situation in Johor, Ahmad Zahid said that the number of victims has risen again but with the cooperation of the agencies involved, flood management was found to be improving based on the experience of previous years.

According to the National Disaster Management Agency's (Nadma) centre, a total of 1,197 flood victims in Johor took shelter in 12 PPS as of 6 this morning, a slight increase compared to 1,153 last night.

A total of 793 victims were placed in eight PPS in Kota Tinggi, 277 victims in two PPS in Mersing with one PPS each in Johor Bahru (43 victims) and Kluang (84 victims). ― Bernama