Kuching hit by another round of floods

Chest deep: Civil Defence Force helping villagers in flooded homes at Kampung Sinar Budi Baru in Kuching.

KUCHING: Several areas in the city here were inundated again following torrential rain.

Traffic came to a standstill after several major roads were submerged as early as dawn yesterday, cutting off major land links to neighbouring districts such as Kota Samarahan and Serian.

Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department reported that as of 8.30am, the water level had risen at 10 residential areas in four districts on the southern side of the state.

The department’s state director Khirudin Drahman said a stretch of road in Lundu district had collapsed.

In Kampung Sinar Budi, the water level had risen to a metre high and a number of residents sought shelter at the village’s community hall, which has been turned into a relief centre.

Lundu district Fire and Rescue chief Putra Ila said the rising water at Batang Kayan River and the increasing volume flowing from Mount Gading had led to flash floods in Lundu bazaar, about 84km from here.

He added that the district had been experiencing continuous rain overnight and floods that led to a bridge linking the bazaar to Sematan to submerge while partly hitting the district police station and several commercial areas.

“The water level at Sungai Batang Kayan appeared to have gone down as the weather seems to be improving a bit, ” he said. — Bernama