A worker walks towards the water gate of the Sejingkat Barrage.
KUCHING: Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) has got all its assets ready to face possible floods across Sarawak, brought by the current northeast monsoon season that would last until March next year, said board chairman Murni Suhailli.
“All offices of Sarawak Rivers Board have been instructed to make sure that their boats, 22 of them, are in good condition and to be on standby as our services might be called upon at any time during this time of the year,” said Murni during a visit yesterday to Sejingkat Barrage to inspect all preparations for the monsoon season.
Ding (second left), Murni (third left) and SRB representatives in a photo-call taken in front of the Sungai Maong telemetric station at Jalan Datuk Temenggong Tan Meng Chong in Kuching.
He remarked that the Sejingkat Barrage played a crucial role in mitigating floods as data on water levels
captured by its telemetric stations along Sungai Sarawak would serve as input on whether to open the water gates to release river water into the open sea.
During a visit to a telemetric station located near Sungai Maong earlier, acting SRB controller Lt-Col Ding Tiew Wong said there were over 20 such stations along the Sungai Sarawak – serving to monitor the river water levels and volume of rainfall.
“A telemetric station has been set up near Sungai Maong because this place is known to be a flood-prone area.
“When the river water reaches certain level, the station would sound the alarm to nearby residents within 1km perimeter,” said Ding during the inspection visit to the station at Jalan Datuk Temenggong Tan Meng Chong here.
Overall, Ding observed that the SRB was fully prepared to deal with the annual northeast monsoon season, and all telemetric stations were fully functioning in transmitting data captured to the control room at Sejingkat Barrage.