KUCHING: The state Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) has commenced their winning innovation system namely ‘Intelligent Gauge’ (IG) to monitor the flash floods. According to the state DID Assistant Director, Normahyusni Mohd Annuar, IG was a hybrid and comprehensive water levels recording system that recorded the water levels in telematics and ‘real-time’ to monitor the flash floods in its high risk areas.
“It is a recording system for water levels where it will send a Short Message Service (SMS) to DID office when the water reaches certain levels.
“The warning alarm and strop light will turn on if the water levels reach 0.15m and it will also directly alert the nearby residents,” said Normahyusni at the Intelligent Gauge (IG) system demonstration at Federal Government Quarters in Jalan Durian Burung here yesterday. The four-star rating innovation (owned by DID Kenyalang team) has won the Chief Minister Innovation Award for the State Agency Category in Oct last year.
“At the moment, this IG system is installed in three locations namely Jalan Badruddin, Federal Government Quarters in Jalan Durian Burung and SK Muara Tuang as our pilot project. It will be extended to other areas throughout the state when this pilot project is successful.
“ The data can be use as a reference for the city planning which is more into community friendly and first of its kind in Sarawak,” she disclosed.
Meanwhile, state DID Civil Engineer, Inja Hellegers Achong said the system would enable them to get the data in an instant with the ‘real-time’ function. “Previously, we do not have any data recorded for the flash flood as it happens very quickly.
For this IG, the indications are 0.15m (alert), 0.2m (warning) and 0.3m (danger). “We take three months to complete this innovation and in return, we do not have to go to the ground to record the data as it will be sent through SMS,” he pointed out.
