KUCHING: An unexpected flash flood at Taman Malihah on Wednesday evening forced the relocation of flood victims at an evacuation centre in the multipurpose community hall there.
The flood victims were moved to a temporary evacuation centre at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (SJK) Chung Hua Sungai Tengah.
Civil Defence Force (APM) Sarawak director Mohtar Samat said the flood happened unexpectedly.
“We have used it (the multipurpose community hall) dozens of times in past years and this is the first time this happens.
“This has posed some challenges to the victims as well as APM personnel, Social Welfare Department (JKM), People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), the police and Bomba,” he said when met by reporters at Taman Malihah evacuation centre here today.
He said the authorities had facilitated the relocation process to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the flood victims.
He explained that the main causes of the flash floods were heavy localised rain since Wednesday evening combined with rain at the upper reaches of the Sarawak River leading to an overflow in rivers in Kuching areas.
“We will close this evacuation centre after it is confirmed to be unsafe and we have consulted the district office to ensure that there will not be a recurrence at SJK Chung Hua,” he added.
In view of the Covid-19 situation in the state, Mohtar said flood victims who lived in double storey or stilt houses were allowed to stay in their respective homes and not encouraged to be relocated to any evacuation centre.
“After discussing the matter with Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, we have agreed to allow these people to stay in their homes when it is safe to do so after inspections by the authorities.
“We do not encourage the victims to be transferred to evacuation centres because we want to avoid congestion and the emergence of a new Covid-19 cluster there,” he clarified.
Mohtar added that flood victims who stayed in their houses would also receive food allocations like those distributed in the evacuation centres.
