SIBU: The Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has yet to confirm the exact number of people affected by the recent thunderstorm.
Its chairman Wong Hee Sieng said that the degree of damage experienced by each individual is different, which makes it difficult to provide an accurate estimate.
“So far, we don’t have [the number of people affected] because there is a different degree of damage. We have certain figures, but the figure is not reflecting the real figure. We have received some [information], but it is not the exact figure,” Wong said.
He made the statement after the SDMC coordination meeting held at the Resident office yesterday (April 6).
When asked about evacuation centres, Wong said, “So far, no evacuation centre has been set up, but I do believe some of them may be moving to a relative or friend’s house.”
Various government institutions and private residences have been affected to varying degrees in different locations, with the Pelawan constituency being the most severely affected, Wong added. “I think the most serious one [damage] is happening in the Pelawan constituency.”
The SDMC coordination meeting aimed to coordinate all relevant agencies’ actions and ensure that the people’s representatives in Sibu understood the incident’s implications.
Wong said, “We will submit to SDMC our report. As for schools, so far, all are operating as usual. For government federal institutions, whatever damages they have, they need to report to the ministry.”
Also present during the meeting was Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing, and Local Government cum Pelawan Assemblyman Michael Tiang Ming Tee, Bukit Assek Assemblyman Joseph Chieng Jin Ek and others.
