EAST COAST TRAIN OPERATIONS AFFECTED, KTMB ACTIVATES FLOOD OPERATION ROOM

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) has announced that KTM Intercity train services on the East Coast route have been affected due to flooding and landslides at several locations, which have disrupted passenger train operations.

According to KTMB, the route between Pasir Mas and Tanah Merah at KM493 to KM490.85 has been identified as unsafe due to water levels exceeding the rail level.

Following this, KTM Intercity services on the East Coast route including the Ekspres Rakyat Timuran train No. 27 from JB Sentral to Tumpat have been cancelled starting last night.

“Today, other services that were also affected include the Ekspres Rakyat Timuran No. 26 and No. 27 (JB Sentral-Tumpat-JB Sentral) as well as the Shuttle Timuran (Kuala Lipis-Gua Musang-Tumpat) due to flooding,” KTMB said in a statement.

KTMB chief operating officer, Mohd Zain Mat Taha, said the cancellation of this service was for the safety of passengers.

For passengers who are affected and unable to continue their journey, KTMB will provide a full fare refund. Information on route closures and current developments will be distributed via the short messaging service (SMS) and KTMB's official social media platforms.

KTMB has also activated a flood operations room in the East Coast sector to monitor train movements and provide situation updates.

In addition, KTMB is also prepared with an assistance plan for flood victims at KTMB stations to ensure that assistance is distributed quickly and systematically.

"KTMB is conducting flood risk monitoring by referring to daily reports from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia). Priority is also given to locations that are frequently affected by floods," according to the statement.

KTMB is also working closely with relevant agencies such as the Civil Defence Force (APM) and the Fire and Rescue Department to ensure that rescue actions and incident management can be carried out efficiently.

Meanwhile, KTMB is also mobilising critical assets such as rail trolleys to monitor water levels on main routes and locations at risk of landslides. Various additional equipment including safety, communication and emergency assistance equipment has been provided for use during floods.

The public can obtain further information or enquiries via the KTMB Call Centre at 03-9779 1200, the official website at www.ktmb.com.my, or KTMB's official social media channels.

-- BERNAMA