File photo shows an aerial view of the flood in Bintulu during January 2025. — Bernama photo

KUCHING (Feb 25): The flood that inundated many parts of Bintulu town and its surrounding areas was due to 900mm of rain that fell within a single day, shared Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Deeming it as a ‘great flood’, he said this was unprecedented in Bintulu.

“This has never happened before in the history of the town, which normally receives about 100mm of rain a year,” he shared in his keynote address at the EIC Connect Borneo 2025 at the Hikmah Exchange Convention Centre here today.

Continuous rain and rising water levels battered Bintulu late January, leaving nearly 2,000 individuals seeking shelter in temporary relief centres.

Areas, including residential neighbourhoods and petrochemical production plants, which never experienced flooding before were inundated following two days of non-stop heavy rain.

In his speech, Abang Johari reaffirmed Sarawak’s steadfastedness in its policy towards decarbonisation and sustainability in the midst of the global climate change.

He said while some major economies and countries have withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, Sarawak is playing its role in the actions against climate change for the benefit of humankind.

“Overwhelming scientific consensus indicates that climate change is causing significant changes to the Earth’s climate, leading to increasingly severe weather events, floods, rising sea levels, and disruptions to human life and the planet’s future.

“According to weather scientists, rising global average temperature is associated with widespread changes in weather patterns. Studies show that extreme weather events such as heatwaves and large storms are more likely to become more frequent or more intense with human-induced climate change.

“In this context, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) have urged Asean nations to uphold the Paris Agreement despite shifting climate policies.

“It has warned us that the world is dangerously close to breaching the 1.5 degree celcius warming threshold, and if this happens there will be severe economic and social consequences,” he added.