PUTRAJAYA: Installing close-circuit cameras at water-level monitoring stations and having numerical weather prediction in place are among suggestions to better manage floods in the future.

Authorities also suggested having more sirens with speakers installed at high-risk locations to broadcast warnings and issue orders for residents to evacuate the area should the need arise.

The post-northeast monsoon flood disaster management task force special meeting chaired by the Prime Minister was also told that a centralised warning siren system coordinated by the Drainage and Irrigation Department should also be in place.

“The meeting was also informed on the need to have communication, education and public awareness programmes to educate the public on what to do when there is a flood,” the Prime Minister said in a statement following the meeting here yesterday.

On payment of Bantuan Wang Ihsan (BWI), Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said more than 60% of the heads of households affected by the floods had received the aid.

He added that all victims in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Perak, Kelantan and Terengganu had received the assistance.

He said BWI payments were expected to be completed tomorrow, though this would not involve payment of the aid for flood victims from the second wave.

As of Sunday, the BWI had been distributed to 28,258 out of 46,162 heads of affected households.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the government had managed to make the aid payment within 10 days compared to three to six months during prior flood incidents.

On infrastructure recovery works, Ismail Sabri said the Public Works Department informed the meeting that repair works at 895 disaster locations would cost around RM967.2mil.

These locations, including roads and bridges, were damaged by flooding, flash floods, and landslides.

Clean-up efforts have been carried out at 802 locations so far, while repair works are expected to start this month and be completed in six months.

Ismail Sabri also said a total of RM50mil had been allocated to 32 local authorities whose areas were affected by floods for repair works as well as construction of new houses.

This was on top of another RM50mil that was allocated for post-flood repair works on infrastructure, public amenities, the socio- economy fabric and safety, he added.