Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Heavy Rains Wreak Havoc In Parts Of Sultanate
By Ubaidillah Masli and Junaidi Bahrum

Bandar Seri Begawan - Heavy rain, accompanied by gusty winds, wreaked havoc in parts of the Sultanate last night, leaving in its wake many areas flooded and throwing traffic out of gear.

Weeks of persistent rain culminated last night into a deluge as sections of the Hassanal Bolkiah Highway were closed for traffic and the underground tunnel at the Kiulap-Gadong Roundabout was almost submerged, the first time it has happened since the tunnel was opened.

While the nation tuned in to watch new President Barack Obama's inauguration, many Bruneian motorists were left stranded, unable to reach home. Eyewitness accounts gave a clearer picture as to the real situation which struck the Sultanate late last evening.

One motorist said that the part of the highway leading to the Brunei International Airport was cordoned off by police as it was deemed unsafe for motorists. Earlier in the evening, another driver said that she had seen many cars stop on the side of the road as their engines had stalled, before the road was closed. The authorities told the cars to turn back and traffic was redirected to the road near the National Stadium.

Meanwhile, the underground tunnel was almost under water as water from the swollen river and the rain gushed in, according to several motorists stranded at the roundabout yesterday. The tunnel, which is large enough to allow heavy lorries to pass through, was also closed by police.

Upon being notified by numerous members of the public, The Brunei Times went out to get a first-hand account of the situation. Without even having gone far from the The Brunei Times headquarters, the seriousness of the situation was truly evident as police and ambulance units were seen rushing in to help people stranded.

Sirens could be heard wailing continuously while traffic police, in the heavy rain, directed traffic towards safe areas. Efficient efforts by the police prevented the situation from getting chaotic.

"It was so bad. The water was coming from the left side of the road to the other side because of the slope and that made the right side even more flooded," said Raymond Chin Thien Huei, a member of the public who was on the road at the time.

"From the bridge, you can see the river (near Menglait) overflowing its banks and the water entering the homes (near the river)," said his friend, Dave Miller.

Among the areas flooded last night included places near the capital such as Kiulap, Kiarong and Jerudong. Members of the public from the Belait District said that Sg Liang was heavily flooded last night. Reports of flooding in Tutong were also received.

The Brunei International Airport recorded around 100 millimetres rainfall as of lam today. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times