Photo shows where the bridge was swept away at Briwan.
LAWAS (Nov 16): Efforts are now underway to restore a timber bridge here, which were swept away by raging waters yesterday afternoon following several hours of heavy rain.
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Lawas incumbent and candidate Datuk Henry Sum Agong said action has already been taken to restore this important link to the highlands.
He said the timber concessionaire has mobilised a team to repair the bridge at Briwan, around 30km from Lawas town, and the link is expected to be restored by midday.
“I appeal to people in Ba Kelalan to take care in using this road due to inclement weather,” he said.
The Borneo Post learnt that work to restore the bridge began last night but the weakened soil condition made restoration work tricky.
The team at the site is hoping for good weather this morning to enable them to expedite restoration work.
Separately Sam Laya, a political secretary to the Premier, said another timber bridge at Long Resina was also swept away.
He said the authorities have been informed of the incident, and the area is also on alert for flooding, landslides, and other natural disaster due to the monsoon season.
He added that the GPS election campaign team he is part of will head to the area today and they have been told the bridge is expected to be passable to traffic by midday.
Lawas District disaster management committee chairman Ladin Atok told The Borneo Post that the road was passable to bigger vehicles by last night as the contractor of the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road rushed to undertake immediate repairs.