CMO advises public to be ready for any eventuality as it continues to rain
A man riding his motorcycle through the flood at Kampung Bintawa Tengah — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: The public are reminded to be alert to any possible floods in their area.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in a statement last night said they should abide by directives from officers from flood operation rooms on the latest situation in their area.
“Should they be required to evacuate, they should do so for their own safety,” the CMO statement said.
Meanwhile, Deputy State Secretary Datu Misnu Taha in a press conference earlier yesterday said the Meteorological Department expected rainfall to decrease in the next few days.
He too advised residents to be alert and ready for any possible flood eventuality, and those living near the river banks must be extra careful.
“Based on information from the Meteorological Department there will be a little drizzle but be alert to any eventuality. We hope that there will not be heavy rain ahead that could cause major floods,” he said.
According to Misnu, the Sungai Sarawak Barrage was open all the time to avoid overflow of water from the tide.
“We hope there will be no more rain because the high tide coming in would cause the water level to rise sharply,” he said.
Misnu added that so far there was no report of casualty due to the flood.
The number of flood evacuees in Kuching and Bau has climbed to 2,679 from 694 families as at yesterday evening.
The number rose from 1,065 yesterday morning and 765 on Monday night.
State Civil Defence Department said as of 4pm yesterday 19 flood relief centres had been opened in Kuching and Bau to cater to the increasing number of evacuees.
The department said the centres were located at Taman Malihah multi-purpose hall housing 26 people from eight families; Kpg Sungai Lumut hall (28 from seven families); SRB Chung Hua Sejijak (55 from 18 families); Batu Kitang Jaya hall (243 from 52 families); SK Sejijak hall (84 from 23 families); Kampung Paroh surau (87 from 18 families); Kampung Panglima Seman Lama multipurpose hall (84 from 12 families); Batu Kawah new shophouses (234 from 60 families); Tupong Jaya hall (176 from 43 families); SK St Peter hall (588 from 196 families); Kuching Civic Centre (485 from 124 families); Kampung Gita surau (39 from 11 families); Kampung Landeh hall (three from one family); and Kampung Gita Laut surau (54 from 12 families) – all in Kuching. In Kampung Ma’ang along Jalan Kuching-Serian, 200 people from 40 families were affected by the flood but State Civil Defence Department said they were yet to set up an evacuation centre for them.
In Bau, five flood relief or evacuation centres have been opened. They are at Kampung Pengkalan Bau which housed 215 from 49 families; SK Siniawan hall (100 from 23 families); Masjid Darul Ehsan (165 from 34 families); Surau Darul Idayah (eight from three families) and Surau Nurul Taqwa (five from one family). At Kampung Bitokan in Bau, 12 people from two families were affected but the village has yet to set up a centre.
The flooding in many parts of Kuching and Bau was caused by torrential rain and king tide on the first day of Chinese New Year (Feb 8).
Meanwhile, Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How visited the Kuching Civic Centre where flood victims from Kampung Batu Kitang Lama and Kampung Kudei took shelter from the flood that occurred at their villages.
According to him, a total of 583 villagers from 158 families in Kampung Kudei were provided with food and essential toiletries at the relief centre. As of yesterday afternoon, mostly women and children were still housed at the Kuching Civic Centre because the men had returned to their villages to take care of their belongings and keep watch on their houses.
But by yesterday evening, the water level had not receded but was expected to rise further.
A flood scene at one of the villages in Kuching.
Villagers walking in floodwater in Kuching.
Adenan (left) looking at one of the makeshift tents for the flood victims at the flood relief centre in Malihah on Monday. — Photo by Tan Song Wei
A boy playing with his boat in Kampung Bintawa Tengah. — Photo by Chimon Upon
Fast currents in the river near Kampung Batu Kitang Jaya. — Bernama photo
A scene at an evacuation centre.
See (left) and Voon (right) listening to Jawa (third left) explain the flood situation at Kpg Kudei when they visited the flood victims at Kuching Civic Centre.
According to community leader Jawa Gawan when met there, water started to rise in Kpg Kudei Lama and Kpg Kudei Baru and flooded the houses on stilts at about 6.30pm on Feb 8, causing the residents to make distress calls to the Divisional Disaster Relief Centre.
Trucks were then sent to Kpg Kudei to transport the residents to Kuching Civic Centre at about 10pm on the same day.
A spokesperson from the State Civil Defence Department said that the relief shelter set up at Kuching Civic Centre was expected to be open until today (Feb 10) as they had been notified that the water level would recede today and conditions would improve thereafter.
On the other hand, 243 residents from 51 families in Kampung Batu Kitang Lama had been evacuated since yesterday afternoon and were provided temporary shelter at Batu Kitang Jaya Community Hall.
Also visiting Kuching Civic Centre yesterday afternoon were PKR women national vice president Voon Shiak Ni and state PKR members.
They also visited the relief centre at Batu Kitang Jaya hall.
On Monday, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem pointed out that early flood preparations are vital to ensure that each step can be carried out smoothly.
Speaking to reporters at the multipurpose hall in Taman Malihah, Matang which was converted to a flood relief centre, Adenan expressed his satisfaction on the overall assistance given to the flood victims.
He also said as of Monday, a total of 617 victims from Kuching and Bau were affected by the flood which was due to consistent rain over the past two days.
“We hope that the flood condition will improve when the rain stops,” said Adenan who had earlier spent around 45 minutes with the victims at the centre.
He added that everyone must always be on their toes to face a possible second wave of flash flood.
He commended the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), Civil Defence Department (JPAM), People’s Volunteers Corp (Rela), Police and State Social and Welfare Department for assisting in the relocation of 86 families to the relief centre.
“All of these victims here received basic assistance such as food items and places to sleep. I am also giving assurance that each of these flood victims will receive all the necessary and proper aid,” he added.
The chief minister was accompanied by his wife Datin Patinggi Dato Jamilah Anu, Minister of Women, Welfare and Community Development Datuk Seri Rohani Karim, Tupong assemblyman Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, Deputy State Secretary Datu Misnu Taha and Kuching Resident Shukarmin Chasemon.