MIRI – Torrential rain last night and early today has caused flooding in northern Sarawak’s Baram and Subis districts, as well as a landslide in Bukit Mabong district deep in the state’s central region.
According to the latest reports from the Fire and Rescue Department and district offices, many settlements are affected.
In Baram, longhouses in Long Panai, Long Wat, Long Teru, Long Moh, Long Atip and Long Laput were inundated with up to 2m of floodwaters this morning.
Telang Usan district officer Baru Tai told reporters that several schools, too, are underwater.
“The schools located near the longhouses are flooded. SK Long Teru, SK Long Panai, SK Morak, SK Kuala Bok and SK Long Atip are flooded. The water level in Long Panai has risen to about 2m.”
In Subis, fire officials said the Rumah Nelson, Rumah Budin, Rumah Edu and Rumah Lingu longhouses are in floodwaters about 1m high.
In Kapit division, about 300km inland from Sibu town, several riverside settlements along Sg Gaat in Bukit Mabong are affected, with serious riverbank erosion threatening the Rumah Bansa longhouse.
District officer Dougglas Punga said over 200 Rumah Bansa residents could lose their longhouse as the ground beneath the structure has begun to collapse.
“Soil movement below the longhouse has caused a landslide. The erosion is affecting the foundation of the longhouse, which is reachable only by river from Kapit town, about a two-hour journey.
“Teams from the Public Works Department, Fire Department, Welfare Department and others have been deployed to the longhouse. The erosion is becoming more serious as heavy rain continues.”
Evacuation may have to be carried out if residents’ safety is affected, he said.
The past day has seen the weather in Sarawak’s interior taking a turn for the worse.
As of noon, the state has not opened evacuation centres. – The Vibes, September 3, 2021
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