Kelantan Fire Department Mobilises 35 Boats And Land Vehicles Ahead Of Northeast Monsoon Floods

KOTA BHARU, Nov 10 – The Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has prepared 35 operational rescue boats out of its total fleet of 45 to support search, rescue, and relief operations during the 2026/2027 Northeast Monsoon.

Kelantan JBPM Director Farhan Sufyan Borhan confirmed that comprehensive technical inspections and water testing were conducted across all water rescue equipment, identifying 35 fully operational boats while 10 units remain undergoing repair.

Highlighting logistics, Farhan Sufyan emphasized that while boats are essential for navigating submerged zones inaccessible to road transport, land-based logistics remain equally critical for evacuating victims and transporting relief supplies.

“Our most pressing need is for additional lorries and four-wheel-drive vehicles. There are already many boats available, not just within the JBPM but also in other agencies,” Farhan Sufyan stated, calling for reinforced land transport capacity.

Kelantan JBPM currently maintains eight heavy lorries (3-tonne and 5-tonne capacity) alongside 30 four-wheel-drive emergency vehicles distributed across 22 fire stations statewide.

The operational readiness check follows a continuous rain alert issued by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) valid through Wednesday, November 11, 2026, for Terengganu and key districts in Kelantan, Pahang, and Sabah.

The continuous rain warning covers nine Kelantan districts: Tanah Merah, Pasir Mas, Tumpat, Kota Bharu, Machang, Bachok, Pasir Puteh, Kuala Krai, and Jeli. Consequently, the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN) under the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) warned of potential flooding across these districts through Wednesday.

Fleet Readiness, Land Assets, and Meteorological Alerts

Key operational assets, station logistics, and flood warnings include:

• Water Rescue Fleet: 35 operational boats ready for deployment (10 undergoing maintenance out of 45 total).
• Land Logistics Fleet: 8 lorries (3-tonne and 5-tonne) and 30 four-wheel-drive vehicles deployed across 22 fire stations in Kelantan.
• Priority Operational Needs: Additional heavy lorries and 4WD vehicles to handle food distribution and long-distance relief supply lines.
• MetMalaysia Continuous Rain Alert: Valid until Wednesday, Nov 11, 2026, covering Tanah Merah, Pasir Mas, Tumpat, Kota Bharu, Machang, Bachok, Pasir Puteh, Kuala Krai, and Jeli.
• DID Flood Warning: High risk of localized flooding across 9 Kelantan districts through Wednesday.

–NMT