BINTULU (Jan 13): The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Bintulu and residents of Taman Jason held a dialogue session at the department’s office yesterday.

Tanjong Batu assemblyman Johnny Pang said a team from his service centre was also present during the meeting to record feedback and suggestions raised, which would be submitted to him as a detailed report.

“During the session, DID Bintulu explained the recent flooding in the area was caused by a combination of factors such as heavy rainfall within a short period, tidal influence at the river mouth, and runoff from upstream areas flowing into low-lying zones—which led to drainage congestion,” he said.

During the session, Pang said residents put forward several constructive proposals to mitigate future flooding, including comprehensive drainage planning for the entire residential area, upgrading and improving the silted drain system, and converting abandoned septic tanks to strengthen overall drainage capacity.

“Constructive communication and face-to-face dialogue are far more effective than confrontation, as such engagement platforms allow residents to share their real experiences while enabling relevant agencies to gain a clearer understanding of ground conditions and develop more practical and targeted solutions,” he said.

He said the Premier’s political secretary Angellie Stephen Raja has been tasked with submitting an application for emergency funding to the State Disaster Management Committee to expedite immediate mitigation measures.

“These include accelerating works at silt-prone hotspots along the Sebiew River, carrying out emergency dredging at the river mouth, and easing recurring flood problems affecting Taman Jason, Taman Jin, and the Bukit Orang area.”

Pang also suggested the relevant agencies consider renting amphibious long-arm excavators, saying that their high mobility and suitability for small-scale operations could improve the efficiency of dredging works.

“Flood mitigation is not something that can be resolved overnight, but with the willingness to reform and take action, improvements can be achieved step by step,” he said.

BINTULU (Jan 13): The extraordinary flooding in Sebauh District is a reversal of weather events long associated with the area, said Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.

The Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development said the drastic change warrants serious attention from all parties.

“Historically, the Bintulu area would usually experience flooding during high tides while the upstream areas were less affected,” he said after leading a field inspection with the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) on Monday.

“However, this time it is the opposite. The upstream areas are experiencing severe flooding, while Bintulu town remains unaffected. This is a significant change that requires a higher level of preparedness from everyone.”

Dr Rundi, who is Kemena assemblyman, said visits to Sebauh, Pandan, and Sungai Gelam confirmed the severity of the situation in the interior.

During a visit to Rumah Dato Raymond Plen in Sungai Gelam, water levels were observed to be nearly entering residents’ homes, a rare occurrence for the area, while in other upstream locations, floodwaters had risen to more than two feet (0.6 metres).

Access roads to several longhouses have been completely cut off.

Dr Rundi said in Ensaie, rescue boats were unable to pass through certain areas due to extremely high water levels, which also dangerously raised electrical cables.

Electricity supply in some locations has been temporarily shut down for safety reasons, as floodwaters have already entered residential areas.

Dr Rundi said the DDMC is now identifying the need for additional evacuation centres should the temporary evacuation centres (PPS) at Sebauh community hall and SMK Sebauh reach full capacity.

He said for longhouses facing critical isolation, DDMC would channel aid by air.

He also reminded the public not to worsen the situation through social media speculation or placing blame during the emergency.

“This disaster is an act of God and should not be used as an opportunity to find fault. Instead, we must focus on helping the people who are facing hardship,” he stressed.

He also advised residents not to reconnect electricity supply on their own in flooded homes to avoid the risk of electrocution.

DDMC has also strengthened the role of village heads as key reference points for information dissemination and aid coordination with the district office to ensure more effective and well-coordinated assistance.

ARAU: Biarpun terjejas teruk ekoran banjir besar baru-baru ini, guru-guru di Sekolah Tengku Budriah (STB) tetap bersemangat menyambut kemasukan murid pada hari pertama sesi persekolahan di sini, semalam.

Seawal pukul 7 pagi, guru-guru menunggu di pintu pagar sekolah menyambut murid, khususnya Tahun Satu yang mula memasuki alam persekolahan.

Sesi ini menyaksikan seramai 157 murid Tahun Satu mendaftar di STB manakala keseluruhan murid sekolah tersebut seramai 1,007.

Guru Besar STB, Nor Zaitun Ibrahim berkata, hari pertama persekolahan berjalan lancar dan ibu bapa diberikan kebenaran menemani anak mereka yang masuk Tahun Satu.

Katanya sepanjang minggu ini, murid-murid akan terlibat dengan minggu didik hibur yang menampilkan pelbagai aktiviti menyeronokkan.

“Kita menyambut kemasukan murid-murid seperti biasa, penuh semangat meskipun sekolah berdepan musibah banjir sebelum ini,” katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia.

Baru-baru ini, Utusan Malaysia melaporkan banjir besar melanda negeri ini disifatkan terburuk sejak 15 tahun lalu, menyaksikan STB antara sekolah yang teruk terjejas de­ngan tahap kemusnahan sehingga 90 peratus. – UTUSAN

KUCHING: Jumlah mangsa banjir di Sarawak mencatatkan penurunan sedikit setakat jam 8 pagi tadi dengan 1,773 mangsa daripada 560 keluarga masih berlindung di pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) berbanding 1,822 mangsa daripada 587 keluarga petang semalam.

Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Negeri (JPBN) Sarawak memaklumkan sebanyak 10 PPS masih aktif setakat ini, membabitkan kawasan Serian, Sibu, Bintulu dan Sebauh.

"Antara PPS menempatkan mangsa paling ramai ialah PPS Sekolah Kebangsaan Tanah Puteh di Serian dengan 448 mangsa daripada 131 keluarga; Dewan Masyarakat Serian (325 mangsa daripada 94 keluarga) dan PPS Dewan Suarah Bintulu (306 mangsa daripada 114 keluarga).

"Selain itu, PPS Dewan Sri Kemena Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sebauh menempatkan 164 mangsa daripada 53 keluarga," menurut makluman itu.

Bencana banjir di Sarawak kali ini bermula pada 31 Disember tahun lalu apabila beberapa kawasan di sekitar bandar raya Kuching dilanda banjir susulan hujan lebat berterusan.