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MIRI – Floods have spread to more areas today in Baram and Limbang parliamentary constituencies in northern Sarawak as the 15th general election draws near.
Reports from the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department and the Civil Defence Unit at noon showed numerous different locations in these constituencies under water.
Among the places inundated are populated villages, schools and towns such as Marudi.
The latest reports compiled by the agencies showed that the worst-hit villages are in the Tinjar sub-district in Baram where the floodwaters have reached about 2m in height.
Longhouse Rumah Magdeline in Tinjar has some 150 people who are being told to prepare for evacuation, said a Civil Defence Unit report.
Other badly flooded areas in Baram are Long Bemang, Long Wat and Long Atip, which are under about 1m of water, and Long Tayut and Long Tisan, which are under about 1.5m of water.
Schools have also been impacted. About 300 students and staff members of SK Long Bemang, SK Long Atip and SK Long Wat are seeing floods of about 0.7m in their compounds.
Yesterday, some 530 people in Long Bemang were evacuated to higher ground following flash floods that overwhelmed their longhouses.
An official with the Limbang fire station said torrential rain that persisted today caused more flash floods.
Those areas in Jalan Merurup and Kg Merasam located on the outskirts of Limbang town are badly affected.
“Floods have cut off many roads. The waters are still rising,” the department said.
Rescue teams are still on the ground checking on the affected villagers.
Parts of northern Sarawak have been subjected to floods due to turbulent weather over the past month or so. – The Vibes, November 17, 2022
