MIRI – The power supply to flooded settlements in the interior of northern Sarawak was cut off this morning, the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department said.
The department ordered the electricity supply to be temporarily shut to ensure the safety of those still living in flooded areas, it said in a press statement.
“There are more than 530 people living in about 100 housing units in Long Bemang which is under flood waters of 2.7ft deep,” it said, referring to the settlement which is in the Baram district.
This is the third day that the Baram district is inundated by floods.
Yesterday, access to Long Lama town was cut off after it was overwhelmed by floods after the Baram River overflowed its banks following two days of heavy rain.
The town serves as the link between the interior Baram district and the rest of Sarawak and has a population of about 20,000.
Long Lama is also the biggest town in the Baram district, located about three hours by road from Miri city, and is the administrative centre of the Telang Usan state constituency.
It is the seventh incident of severe flooding in Sarawak’s northern interior this year.
About a dozen populated settlements and schools have been affected by flash floods, according to updates from the Sarawak Civil Defence Unit and Fire and Rescue Department.
Among the badly affected longhouses and schools are Long Wat, Long Panai, Long Laput, Long Bemang, Tutoh Apoh, Long Miri, SMK Tutoh Apoh, SK Morek, SK Mentali, SK Penghulu Baya and others.
The floods so far have affected at least 19 schools and 25 populated areas following the flood spell at three districts in the state.
“In Telang Usan eight schools are flooded, in Marudi seven schools and in Beluru four schools.
“There are 25 locations flooded so far due to heavy rain and also rising river levels,” the state disaster management committee said in a press statement via the Miri committee branch office.
The committee added that among the worst affected areas include Long Panai, Long Bemang, Kpg Benawa, Rumah Gerinang, Kpg Kuala Tutoh, SK Long Panai, SK Kuala Tutoh.
So far no evacuation has been ordered as yet as of noon today.
Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) information chief Abun Sui has blamed timber logging giants and big plantation operators for causing environmental degradation that is making the floods more frequent.
“We (PH Sarawak) feel that the state government and timber and plantation giants must be held accountable for these floods that are getting worse by the year.
“The latest flood today in Baram is the seventh time this year that severe flash floods have inundated populated settlements such as the one in Long Bemang,” Abun said.
The state government must drastically slow down human development activities – such as logging, oil palm plantations and mining – in forested areas, he added.
He also urged timber companies to build new longhouses to resettle those hit by floods.
Meanwhile, Miri MP Dr Teo Yu Keng said the state government must halt, or at least drastically reduce, the harvesting of timber as well as other development activities.
“Take urgent measures now or else we will see floods the whole year round,” he said. – The Vibes, September 14, 2022
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