Be alert to possibility of floods, prioritise safety, Marudi longhouse chiefs told

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The flash flood at Rumah Lajang.

MARUDI: Headmen of longhouses especially those located in low-lying areas need to be alert to the possibility of floods and take the appropriate safety precautions, said Marudi District Officer Mackos Sibong.

“Ensure the longhouse folk are safe and report the flood to the authorities. For areas that are unaffected, the longhouse chiefs should monitor the situation from time to time so you won’t be caught off-guard if flood occurs,” he said.

He was commenting on flash floods which struck four longhouses here Tuesday night following continuous heavy rain, where the water level rose to as high as 1.5 metres.

No evacuation was required as the water level at the four longhouses – Rumah Rok Anji, Rumah Anthony Gaong, Rumah Sumping and Rumah Lajang – began to recede by yesterday morning.

Mackos, who chairs the Marudi division disaster management committee said the four longhouses, which have around 370 residents in total, are all located in Linei, Baram which is a low-lying area.

“Last night’s (Tuesday) flash flood only affected the Linei area. Regardless, I advise people in other areas to be vigilant especially in the event of non-stop heavy rain,” he added.