ABOUT 10,000 uniformed personnel throughout Sarawak will be assigned to help victims of the impending floods this coming landas season (monsoon season), said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
The personnel are from the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department, the police and the army, he said.
Uggah, who is the State Disaster Management Committee chairman, said the committee has already conducted meetings with the uniformed agencies.
"Flood preparations are already at ground levels. We expect heavy rain in December, January and February.
"The highest amount of rainfall is expected in January and the floods will be worse during these times if the high tide hits," he said in a press statement.
Uggah said his committee and the welfare authorities are getting ready the flood relief supplies that will include food aid and other necessities.
These can cater to some 170,000 flood victims, he added.
The floods are already badly affecting interior Sarawak folks now.
Numerous populated settlements and schools in the remote Baram district in northern Sarawak are hit by floods yet again.
The settlements of Long Panai, Long Bemang, Long Laput, Long Loyang, Long Jegan, Long Sobeng, Long Teran and several schools in these areas plus Long Banga village to PaDalih village have been inundated by floods and the roads into these areas hit by floods and erosions, along with the route from Long Bedian to Miri where a bridge had collapsed.
Social activist Willie Kajan said that the affected folks are desperately awaiting food aid and welfare help. - October 11, 2024
