MIRI – Thousands of flood victims in the interior of northern Sarawak are cut off from assistance as accessibility has dwindled.
Baram People’s Action Committee chairman Philip Jau told The Vibes that land routes in Baram have been severed.
“There are tens of thousands of people stranded in the upper reaches. Even Long Lama town is inundated. Last night, there was a fire in several shops in the town, but fire and rescue teams could not reach the site as the roads were inundated.
“The rural folk are very worried about Covid-19 getting even worse during these floods,” he said.
Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau said he is shocked by the severity of the floods and their extensive damage.
“Land routes into my constituency have been cut off as the roads are inundated by waters more than a metre high. I am having problems entering my constituency.”
Ngau, who is the Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu chief for Baram, said he heard several bridges were swept by the rivers in the upper reaches of his constituency.
“What is most important now is to try to find routes to reach the flood victims. We will have to urgently see the condition of their settlements and arrange aid for them.”
Mulu assemblyman Datuk Gerawat Gala said communications in his area have been cut off due to floods.
“The land routes into Mulu are cut off and the rivers are too dangerous to navigate. Flights will have to be arranged to deploy urgent food aid,” said Gerawat.
Aside from the districts of Baram, Mulu, Marudi, Tutoh, Bario and Ba’kelalan, the floods have also inundated Lawas and Limbang.
Lawas and Limbang today saw 442 people from several kampung evacuated into community halls turned into flood relief shelters. The sub-districts of Medamit and Trusan are also hit.
Latest updates from the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) and Fire and Rescue Department showed that many longhouses and riverine settlements are inundated, several of them under 3m of water.
The worst-hit longhouses are Long Panai, Long Lellang, Long Akar, Long Napir, Long Laput, Long Miri, Long Iman, Long Luteng, Long Atip and Long Moh in Baram, and Kg Batu Bungan in Mulu. Many schools in these localities are flooded too.
The SDMC secretariat said Civil Defence units are already on the ground.
“Those involved in the flood operations also included the fire and rescue teams at the affected districts, police, welfare department, and the local councils.”
Those in flooded longhouses have moved to the second level of their longhouses, awaiting evacuation. There are also those who have moved to higher ground.
The SDMC said among the schools covered by floods in Baram are SK Long Moh, SK Long Atip, SK Long Luteng, and SK Long Lellang.
In Mulu district, Kg Melinau, Kg Batu Bungan, SK Batu Bungan, and the Mulu clinic and its vicinity are flooded.
As at noon today, there have been no reports of fatalities or serious injuries caused by these floods as yet. The torrential rain in the interior started two days ago. – The Vibes, May 22, 2021
