Flood mitigation study to be undertaken at village

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MIRI: A study on effective ways of mitigating flood is to be undertaken soon at Kampong Kuala Baram, which is frequently affected by floods as it is located in low lying areas.

Assistant Minister for Communications Datuk Lee Kim Shin said the Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) and the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) had been directed to carry out the study.

“The study needs to be undertaken soon and probably a flood gate control will be constructed, as the current drainage system is not effective in mitigating flood, especially during high tide and heavy rains,” Lee told reporters after making a working visit to the village yesterday.

Among those accompanying him were Miri City Council Mayor Lawrence Lai, SRB controller William Jinep, Miri DID divisional engineer Law Wee and Kuala Baram village headman Nordin Yusuff.

Lee hoped the proposed flood gate control project would be one of the best remedies, adding that a similar project implemented recently had been successful in mitigating flood at Kampong Tanjung Batu, Miri.

Lee said several other projects requested by the villagers of Kampong Kuala Baram had also been proposed for implementation. One of them is the demolition of an abandoned jetty along Sungai Lutong Kecil so as to widen the passage way for boats plying through it.

“Currently, only one boat could sail up and down this river. Thus, the abandoned jetty has to be demolished soonest, and we hope to get funding from the federal government for this project.”

He said at the same time, funds would also be sought to build a landing jetty, especially for the local fishermen.