BETONG: Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas hopes that flood mitigation projects in areas prone to flooding in Debak can be accelerated.
His concern was for areas like Kampung Lalang, Kampung Bungek, and Kampung Babu as floods have affected the residents during heavy rain and high tides.
“There is already a flood mitigation project planned and will be built. But when we implemented it the other day, there were some problems (with the project), nevertheless, I believe the problem will be solved quickly, so it can be fully functional immediately.
“We also sympathise with the residents when the village starts flooding,” he said when met by reporters after visiting the temporary relief centre (PPS) at Dewan Millenia in Debak, today.
As at 7 am today, there were 213 victims from 51 families sheltering at the Dewan Millenia relief centre, making Betong the division with the highest number of flood victims in the state.
The PPS was open at 9pm yesterday for residents displaced by flash floods in Kampung Lalang, Kampung Bungek, and Kampung Babu. In total, Sarawak now has 361 flood victims from 95 families in relief centres.
Touching on the relief centres, Uggah who is also the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, expressed his satisfaction with the fast response by the agencies under the SDMC in managing the disaster.
“All the departments are willing to work together to ensure that we can help the victims and provide good services and see to it that their needs and comfort are met.
“I know this is an emergency and disaster but I am very happy to see they have responded (the authorities) efficiently to ensure everything is in place. We have tried our very best,” he said.
Uggah advised residents in flood-affected areas to evacuate to the PPS centres when instructed by the authorities.
“We hope they are ready to move when instructed. Our goal in ordering them to move is for their own safety. If they are not evacuated and the flood level rises, it threatens their lives and our top priority is to save lives.
“We have opened six PPS shelters in Sarawak since March 1. However, we do hope there will be no more opening of relief centres, since the weather looks promising,” he said.
