One school in Asajaya, Simunjan closed

KUCHING: One school each in Asajaya and Simunjan had to stop class temporarily following flash floods yesterday.

However, water around SK Sebandi Ulu (Asajaya) and SK Tanjung Pisang (Simunjan) started to recede late evening, allowing the schools to operate as usual, said a spokesman of Civil Defence Force (APM) yesterday. More than 200 students from these schools were affected by the incident, he added.

An evacuation centre at Kota Samarahan Civic Centre was meanwhile opened yesterday after flash flood struck Kampung Tanjung Bundong. A family of nine was sent there.

Three water level monitoring stations at Batu Kitang – Nanga Delok, Lupar Basin in Sri Aman; and Sungai Bawan, Balingian Basin in Mukah – have cautioned the authorities of the impending danger while others reported declining dangerous water level. Fifty-one people from 15 families were evacuated to a flood relief centre following flooding at Kampung Simpok in Padawan and Kampung Tengah Sungai in Petra Jaya yesterday.

According to the Fire and Rescue Department, 29 people, including nine children from Kampung Tengah Sungai Petra Jaya were evacuated to SK Sejijak.

“Bomba personnel from Petra Jaya have helped to evacuate the flood victims at Kampung Tengah Sungai Petra Jaya which includes eight families or 29 people – eight men, 12 female, two boys and seven girls.

“Bomba Siburan on the other hand has evacuated seven families of 22 people.” Monitoring is being done at Kampung Batu Kitang, Sinar Budi, Rantau Panjang, Sungai Nada, Tabuan Laru, Sungai Tapang and Tabuan Dayak. In Bau, it is done at Kampung Keranji, Buso and Bunga Rampai; and in Lundu at Kampung Silu and Batang Kayan.

Based on the monitoring, the situation is still under control and no evacuation is being done at several villages in Samarahan.

The state Welfare Department and several non-government organisations have come forward to bring food aid to several flood evacuation centres.