Nearly 322 families placed in evacuation centres in Kuching, Samarahan, Serian and Mukah divisions

Torrential rain over the past few days has forced the evacuation of at least 1,273 people from 322 families in four divisions in the state due to flooding.

Samarahan Division recorded the highest number of flood evacuees at 542 from 155 families, followed by Kuching Division with 291 evacuees from 61 families, Serian Division with 336 victims from 90 families and Mukah Division with 104 members from 16 families.

As of 9pm yesterday, the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee reported that all victims were placed in flood evacuation centres in Kuching (three), Samarahan (seven), Serian (three) and Mukah (one).

Earlier yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah and Assistant Minister of Rural Electricity Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi visited the flood evacuation centre in Kampung Buntal to meet the 30 families placed there.

Uggah said the preparedness of the evacuation centre at the Kampung Buntal mosque showed the state’s readiness to face any disaster.

“The evacuation centre has been prepared well and all the basic facilities for the affected families are here for them. This is a testament of our readiness for any disaster as we have learned from our past,” he told reporters following the visit.

Uggah also commented that the centre was properly managed in all aspects, including preparation of food.  Dr Abdul Rahman, who is Pantai Damai assemblyman, revealed that the 30 families who sought shelter at the Kampung Buntal evacuation centre are from the low-lying areas of the village.

“I also visited another evacuation site at Kampung Sungai Batu (near Santubong), where there are 39 members from seven families seeking temporary shelter from the flood,” he added.

On Feb 3, the Malaysian Meteorological Department issued a Yellow Level Weather Alert Warning that continuous heavy rain is expected until today (Feb 5) in Kuching, Serian, Mukah, Bintulu and Miri divisions.

Meanwhile, Civil Defence Force state director Colonel (PA) Mohtar Samat said the latest round of flooding in Sarawak was due to incessant heavy rain from last Thursday coupled with the King Tide.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Matthew Umpang and Saiful Bahari

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