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KUCHING (Feb 3): Authorities in Sarawak have been urged to stay on high alert as a potential second wave of flooding looms over the state. Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas has called on all relevant agencies to ensure their logistics and assets are ready for immediate response.
As the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, Uggah has instructed all Residents and district officers to take proactive measures to handle the flood situation effectively.
“I call upon all the people to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures. Communities are also advised to make early preparations should they be ordered to evacuate to a safe place when there’s a disaster,” he said in a statement today.
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Weather Warning Issued for Multiple Regions
The Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued a warning of continuous heavy rain, which could lead to further flooding in multiple regions. The affected areas in the southern region include Kuching, Serian, Samarahan, Sri Aman, and Betong. In the central region, Sarikei, Sibu, and Mukah are also at risk.
Flood Recovery Efforts Underway
Uggah also revealed that SDMC is currently assessing the cost of repairing flood-damaged infrastructure. He assured that recovery efforts would be carried out swiftly to minimise disruption.
“As SDMC chairman, I have ordered all divisional disaster management committees to present the complete list of heads of households evacuated to the temporary evacuation centres (PPS) to the committee by the end of this week,” he added.
Number of Flood Evacuees Declining
The SDMC secretariat reported that as of 4pm today, a total of 9,517 individuals from 2,806 households were still sheltering in PPS throughout the state. This marks a decline from the 10,273 evacuees from 3,013 households recorded at 8am.
Yesterday, six PPS were closed, namely at Dewan Masyarakat Gedong, Dewan Sri Budaya Kampung Niup, SK Bukit Arip, SK Pangkalan Sorak, Balai Raya Kampung Melayu Balai Ringin, and SK SLDB Ladang 3 Mukah. However, a new PPS was opened at SMK Sebauh, bringing the total number of active evacuation centres to 42.
Authorities urge residents to remain alert and follow official updates as the situation develops.