MIRI: Heavy downpours since Monday resulted in some interior areas in Baram experiencing floods, making it difficult for residents to get their Covid-19 jabs.
The Miri Divisional Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) said two PPVs (vaccination centre) in Long Lama and Long Jegan were forced to closed due to floods.
“Apart from that, the PPV in Mulu, which was previously postponed due to floods in its surrounding areas, has now been reactivated.
“In Long Loyang, residents were able to use their boats to get to the PPV.”
Meanwhile, rural clinics are scheduled to administer the vaccines on Saturday (July 17) and the current situation will be assessed at these clinics in the morning.
In another update, the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) assisted the Miri Health Office in delivering vaccines to Long Teru, Ulu Teru, Long Teran, Long Luyang and Long Jegan.
Sarawak Bomba director Khirudin Drahman said the operation was successfully carried out with a Bomba AW139 helicopter.
The helicopter, piloted by Capt Mohd Ruzaidi Ramlee and assisted by Muhammad Akmaludin Said, departed Miri at 9.20am and completed the deliveries before returning at 11.20am.
“The team managed to deliver the vaccine and 25kg of consumables to the five areas.
“Seeing that Long Jegan is inundated by floodwaters and our helicopter could not make a landing, they had to hover over the flooded area while winching down the cold-storage boxes containing the vaccine to medical personnel.
“Our helicopter managed to land at the other areas and deliver the vaccine by hand to medical personnel.”
