A STATE assemblyman from ruling state government coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has warned of the possibility of another round of king tide that may again trigger a flood havoc in Sarawak.
Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng of the Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP-GPS) said those living in low-lying and riverine areas must be alerted.
"I have received information that on Feb 22, another king tide phenomenon may recur.
"The Feb 22 expected king tide may be higher than the last one that hit us.
"This may trigger another round of floods and it will be worsened if it rains heavily again during the king tide period.
"The people must be alerted," he said after meeting residents in Sibu town.
Bukit Assek is in Sibu district that was one of the 26 districts in Sarawak badly inundated.
The last round of king tide that hit Sarawak was on Jan 31 and it measured 6.1 metres high.
It worsened the already-severe floods caused by non-stop torrential rain in the 26 districts statewide.
The very bad flood woes on that day saw the number of people evacuated from flooded homes statewide reaching the 10,000 mark.
Entire towns and villages were inundated by more than a metre of floods.
The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department, the State Civil Defence Unit, the Army, District Offices, Welfare Department and other department and agencies were out in full force to help victims in flooded zones.
As of today, there are still about a thousand flood victims evacuated into emergency shelters in southern and central Sarawak such as in districts of Tatau and Mukah and Selangau.
Ground teams from Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department and Sarawak Civil Defence Unit are still helping folks in flooded areas. – February 12, 2025
