Heed authorities’ advice if asked to evacuate, Selangor folk told

Residents are urged to immediately evacuate as instructed by local authorities in the event of floods or other disasters.

Selangor youth, sports, entrepreneurship empowerment, creative economy and disaster management committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi said residents should not assume they could stay put and hope for floodwaters to recede quickly.

“Our priority is to save lives,” Mohd Najwan said, adding that 178 families from three districts who stayed at temporary relief centres following floods affecting the state two weeks back, would receive one-off aid of RM1,500.

Unusually heavy rain on April 16 saw several areas in Petaling, Kuala Selangor and Klang districts being inundated.

Flood victims were housed at temporary relief centres, comprising 90 families in SK Merbau Sempak and 15 families in Dewan MPKS Desa Coalfields, both in Sungai Buloh, and 73 families in SK Sungai Binjai in Meru, Klang.

At its peak, the relief centres housed a total of 689 people.

“The RM1,500 disaster relief per family comprises RM1,000 from the National Disaster Management Agency and RM500 from the Selangor government,” said Mohd Najwan.

“The aid is meant for those who registered and stayed at temporary relief centres.

“Those who did not register can also apply for aid, but the amount given will be lower.

“They will have to first lodge a police report about the flood and estimated losses before applying for aid at the relevant district office.”

Mohd Najwan added that the Selangor government had allocated RM1mil for disaster relief and that relevant personnel at district offices were on standby to render assistance for rescue and relief work.

He said this after launching a “Let’s Read Together for 10 Minutes” programme at Raja Tun Uda Library in Section 13, Shah Alam.

Also present at the event were Selangor Public Library Corporation (PPAS) deputy director Suzliana Abd Hamid, Lembah Jaya assemblyman Syed Ahmad Syed Abdul Rahman Alhadad and Batu Tiga assemblyman Danial Al-Rashid Haron Aminar Rashid.