FLOODS: 3,000 PUBLIC UNI STUDENTS AFFECTED, 523 EVACUATED TO RELIEF CENTRES - ZAMBRY

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- A total of 3,029 public university students have been affected by the floods so far, with 481 displaced to on-campus relief centres and 42 others to relief centres outside the campus.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said those affected are students of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin in Terengganu, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, and polytechnics. 

"I have instructed the secretary-general of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang, to meet with volunteers of higher education institutions to be ready (to face the floods)," he said.

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He said this after the closing ceremony of the Putrajaya Festival of Ideas (Putrajaya FOI) at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here today.

Zambry said MOHE would distribute food baskets to the students and provide other assistance such as transportation, adding that it will work together with the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) to ensure their safety. 

NADMA was reported as saying that it has activated the Central Disaster Operations Control Centre to coordinate and monitor the rescue operations and management of flood victims following the sharp rise in the number of flood victims in Kelantan.

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NADMA said the flood situation in Kelantan and Terengganu has worsened, adding that the Malaysian Meteorological Department predicted unabated heavy rain until tomorrow, which may exacerbate the situation. 

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was reported to have said that the level of preparedness to deal with floods at all levels has been increased to the highest level since the disaster is expected to be more severe than the 2014 flooding. 

-- BERNAMA