KUCHING: Heavy rainfall since Tuesday night has caused several low-lying areas in the city to be affected by flash floods.
Among the affected areas are Jalan Demak, Kpg Sourabaya Ulu, Kpg Gersik, Kpg Boyan, Kpg Tupong, and Kpg Semeba. However, the water has only flooded residents’ house compounds and nearby roads.
At Kpg Sinar Budi Lama at Jalan Batu Kawah, here, water levels in the nearby river was reported to have increased, submerging a few houses nearby in a foot of water.
The water level in the river near Kpg Sinar Budi Lama is high since the non-stop heavy rain in Kuching starting Tuesday.
When flash floods hit the city last month, Kpg Sinar Budi Lama was one of those badly hit and its residents were evacuated to a nearby private college hostel at Jalan Batu Kawah. However, no evacuations have been reported today as the water is said to have receded after the raining stopped in the afternoon.
A resident of Kpg Sinar Budi Lama, Sopiah Bujang, 33, said the residents expected the water level to increase if it rained for more than 24 hours. In 2004, she recalled how in a similar situation the water level had gone up to seven feet, reaching up to the ceiling of the houses.
“As for Kpg Sinar Budi Lama, I would not consider it flash flood but a result of water overflowing from the nearby river into the neighbourhood,” she said when interviewed earlier today.
Children at Kampung Sinar Budi Lama seen playing in the rain during the flash flood today.
Sopiah, who is a housewife, described how her area would flood during high tide due to continuous rain and the barrage gates being closed.
“There are about 30 houses resided in by 40 families and we are always on the alert, especially during rainy seasons like this.”
That being said, she said local residents could not predict flooding in the area as it depended on the high tide as well as whether the barrage gates were closed or not.