Uggah (third right) inspecting the food aid to be distributed to the evacuees at SJK Chung Hua Batu Kawa PPS with (from second right) Dr Sim and Mancha. – Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING (Jan 30): The recent devastating floods in Bintulu were triggered by exceptionally heavy rainfall, not a poor drainage system, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

He explained that the primary cause was an intense downpour of about 400mm that day, which led to river overflow.

Citing the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman noted that while Sarawak’s annual average rainfall is around 5,000mm, the sheer volume of rain that fell in Bintulu within a short period was extraordinary, resulting in severe flooding.

“The flood in Bintulu occurred suddenly, coinciding with the Chinese New Year.

“This posed a significant challenge for the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in Bintulu.

“Nevertheless, support from Miri, Sibu, and Bintulu have been mobilised to fulfill the vehicle requirements and ensure that the people and communities could be evacuated swiftly,” he told a press conference after visiting the SJKChung Hua Batu Kawa temporary evacuation centre (PPS) here today.

Uggah also acknowledged the willingness of several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to assist flood victims but urged that all donations must go through the SDMC Secretariat for proper coordination.

“For Bintulu area, all donations can be sent directly to the Bintulu Resident Office, which acts as the SDMC secretariat for the region.

“SDMC does not allow NGOs to send aid directly to evacuation centers or communities to prevent confusion and ensure the distribution of supplies is carried out smoothly and systematically,” he said.

Addressing concerns over flood-damaged roads across the state, Uggah said the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak has been instructed to carry out immediate repairs to any affected roads.

While the full extent of damage to the Pan Borneo Highway is still being assessed, he emphasised that critical areas would be prioritised.

“Such as the Mambong Road, where almost half of the road has been cut off, we will carry out immediate repairs, and similarly, throughout all regions, we will monitor and address the affected roads,” he said.

Also present during the visit to the PPS were Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian; state Minister of Women, Children and Community Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah; Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Law, MA63, and State-Federal Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali; Political Secretary to the Sarawak Premier Kho Teck Wan; Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata; and Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Tan Kai.