Flooding hits Long Lama town after river overflows

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MIRI: Long Lama town in Middle Baram was flooded yesterday after the swollen Baram River overflowed yesterday morning following heavy rain in the upper reaches of Baram River over the last two days.

DANGEROUS: The Long Lama power generation station inundated by flash floods.

Water level rose rapidly over riverbanks and half of the town were inundated between two to four metres deep of waters within hours.

Baram District officer Joseph Belayong when contacted said the latest report from Marudi Operation Room at 5pm yesterday stated that the situation in the area has improved and there was no sign of the river water rising further.

The Baram district disaster relief and coordination committee, which he heads as chairman, was activated after the operation room in Marudi received report of the flood.

“The situation has improved and Marudi operation room will monitor the situation from time to time,” he said.

Meanwhile, a local resident in Long Lama when contacted by phone at 6pm said that water level has yet to recede.

According to him, half of the bazaar, including schools and residential areas, were under two to four metres flood waters at 6am yesterday morning.

The flood also affected Long Laput, located further up the river and Orang Ulu settlements in Tutoh-Apoh region.

Meanwhile, flash floods were also reported in several sections of the road in Tinjar, including near Lapok bazaar, forcing many vehicles to be stranded.

Tinjar and Tutoh are the tributaries of the Baram River.

It takes about 5 hours drive from Miri to Long Lama.