KUCHING (Feb 4): Sebuyau District’s drainage and irrigation infrastructure must be reviewed to ensure it can effectively manage water flow, particularly from large oil palm plantations near villages and longhouses, said Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi.

The Utility and Telecommunication Minister also called on private plantations to contribute to the effort.

“The relevant private oil palm plantations must also bear responsibility for the cost of constructing a more effective drainage and irrigation system, in addition to government allocations. This includes the number of tidal DID (Department of Irrigation and Drainage) gates that need to be built.

“The government may also need to review policies on drainage and irrigation requirements for large plantations, not only in Sebuyau but across Sarawak, particularly in areas where water flows through villages and longhouses,” he said in a statement following his visit yesterday to temporary evacuation centres (PPS) housing flood victims in Sebuyau.

The Sebuyau assemblyman said Dewan Pembangunan Sebuyau and three other community halls were being used as PPS for 538 flood victims displaced by heavy rainfall and inland water overflow.

“These victims are from Kampung Stika, Kampung Pantu Plaie, Kampung Lubok Meranti, Kampung Lumut, Kampung Arus Iban, Kampung Terusan, Kampung Skitong, Kampung Bajong, Kampung Sagu, and Kampung Nap.

“I had the opportunity to visit all four PPS and distribute food baskets to the affected residents,” he said.

The other community halls serving as PPS are Dewan Masyarakat Lutong Sebangan, Dewan Masyarakat Arus Melayu, and Dewan Masyarakat Bajong Ili.

“All displaced residents at these four PPS receive meals four times a day, in addition to food baskets. Among those affected were young children, including a one-month-old infant,” he said.

He noted that Kampung Kakus Ensika residents had not been evacuated despite floodwaters submerging access roads and the surrounding areas, as the longhouse and several houses nearby remained habitable, although only accessible by lorries, four-wheel drives, and small boats.

“I have also delivered food baskets to Tuai Rumah Maramat Lalat for the 150 residents of Kampung Kakus Ensika,” he added.

KUCHING: Villagers at Kampung Hulu in Serian, Sarawak, are facing the difficult task of cleaning up their homes as floodwaters begin to recede.

Mas Idayah Ismail, 31, was seen sweeping out muddy water from her living room and removing damaged furniture.

She said her family was unable to save most of their furniture and refrigerator on the ground floor because the floodwaters rose unexpectedly last Thursday.

“It was all so sudden. When we came downstairs to check, about 15cm of water had already entered our house. “We only managed to save some smaller items as we didn’t expect the water to rise so quickly,” Mas Idayah said yesterday.

She said this was the worst flood the village had experienced since 2015, when a similar disaster occurred. Another villager, Nor Atifah Abdullah, spent more than four hours cleaning her kitchen and living room.

“I’m doing what I can now that the water has started receding,” she said.

Many residents from Kampung Hulu, about 64km from here, were evacuated to temporary relief shelters when the floods hit.

However, Habib Madini was unable to leave because his elderly mother, who is wheelchair-bound, could not move on her own.

“We decided to stick it out at home. Rescue personnel came twice but they couldn’t move my mother as she’s quite heavy,” he said, adding that his family lives on the first floor.

Serian was among the worst flood-affected divisions in Sarawak, along with Bintulu.

As of 2pm yesterday, 1,536 people were still sheltering in seven temporary evacuation centres in the division.

THE number of people seeking shelter at temporary evacuation centres in Sarawak dropped slightly yesterday. Up to 2.30pm, 12,163 people from 3,618 families were at 63 centres.

This marked a reduction of 158 people, compared with 12,321 victims up to 8am yesterday.

From the total, 11,957 were flood victims, 169 were victims of landslides in Miri and Bintulu, while 37 were victims of a longhouse fire in Kanowit.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said Sarawak was expected to be hit by heavy rain until Wednesday.

Its director-general, Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip, said warnings had been issued for Kuching, Serian, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei and Mukah.

He said those seeking updates can visit MetMalaysia’s website or call its hotline at 1-300-221638.

In Kota Kinabalu, the flood situation in Sabah showed an improvement, with 675 flood victims from 181 families seeking shelter at four centres, up to 4pm yesterday.

The Sabah Civil Defence Force said this was a significant reduction from the 1,651 people in the morning.

MetMalaysia forecast heavy rain for Pahang, Johor, Sarawak and Sabah until the end of the month.

It said the northeast monsoon, which began on Nov 5 last year, was expected to continue until next month.

“Continuous rain can lead to floods in low-lying areas as well as locations vulnerable to floods.

“If heavy rain coincides with tidal changes, this could pose bigger risks for floods.”

It, however, said that the northern part of the peninsula was expected to receive less rainfall.

“This could lead to hot and dry weather, bringing with it the potential of a heat wave.

“The emergence of La Nina last month may reduce the impact of the heat wave,” it said.

MetMalaysia added that continuous northeast winds could lead to large waves in the South China Sea.

It said weather forecasts from January to June were based on the consensus gleaned from international and local climate survey models.

Kuala Lumpur: Jumlah mangsa banjir di Sarawak berkurangan namun masih melepasi angka 12,000 orang pagi semalam manakala di Sabah merekodkan peningkatan jumlah mangsa yang dipindahkan di pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) berbanding malam kelmarin.

Di SARAWAK, sebanyak 12,116 mangsa masih di tempatkan di 62 PPS setakat jam 8 pagi semalam dengan enam bahagian terjejas, berbanding 12,423 mangsa malam kelmarin.

Berdasarkan laporan Sekretariat Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Negeri (JPBN) Sarawak, jumlah mangsa dipindahkan di Bahagian Bintulu (melibatkan daerah Bintulu, Tatau dan Sebauh) adalah 5,184 orang dan Serian (daerah Serian, Siburan dan Balai Ringin) seramai 2,617 mangsa,

Bahagian Samarahan (daerah Samarahan, Asajaya, Sebuyau, Simunjan dan Gedong) pula merekodkan 1,926 mangsa; Bahagian Sibu (daerah Sibu,

Selangau dan Kanowit) 1,189 mangsa; Bahagian Miri (daerah Miri, Subis dan Beluru) mangsa yang dicatatkan adalah 1,138 orang; manakala Bahagian Mukah (daerah Mukah dan Matu) 62 orang.

Di SABAH, jumlah mangsa banjir sedikit meningkat kepada 1,651 daripada 537 keluarga pada pukul jam 8 pagi semalam, berbanding 1,485 orang daripada 493 keluarga pada malam kelmarin.

Sekretariat JPBN Sabah melaporkan daerah Tongod yang pulih petang semalam, kembali dilanda banjir dengan dua PPS dibuka, menjadikan lima daerah yang masih dilanda banjir.

Pitas kekal mencatatkan jumlah mangsa tertinggi iaitu 819 mangsa (301 keluarga), diikuti Lahad Datu kekal dengan 520 mangsa (140 keluarga), Tongod dengan 155 mangsa (41 keluarga), Beaufort kekal dengan 110 mangsa (32 keluarga) dan Paitan dengan 47 mangsa (23 keluarga).