By Nur Ashikin Louis
KOTA SAMARAHAN, Dec 11: The Ministry of Works (MoW), through the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Sarawak, will construct a special pond to address flash floods in Samarindah, Kota Samarahan.
Senior Minister of Works Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof said the frequent flooding in Samarindah was due to it being a low-lying area, gradual urbanisation, and no masterplan to build or upgrade the drainage system.
He mentioned that urban landscape is highly susceptible to increased rainfalls due to impervious areas (roofs, driveways, streets, sidewalks, etc.) where water cannot move into the soil, pushing more water downslope into available channels or ponded areas.
Additionally, he said the existing drains cannot accommodate the excess water, resulting in residents waking up to a pool of water outside their homes.
“To address the flooding problem, we will acquire land of about 17 acres, which will be used as a ponding area for the excess water during heavy downpour.
“With the pond, we will be able to release the excess water to the river little by little and the water will not flow to the housing areas anymore,” he told reporters during his work visit to DID Kuching-Samarahan office in Kota Samarahan today.
Fadillah, who is also Petra Jaya MP, further said the authorities will widen and deepen the drainage system in Unigarden, SK Jalan Muara Tuang and other affected areas to address similar problems.
“We will begin these projects next year with an estimated overall cost of RM30 million, and the tender process is expected to be carried out in February 2022,” he added.
Earlier, Fadillah together with Kota Samarahan MP Rubiah Wang and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate for Stakan, Datuk Hamzah Brahim, visited several flood-prone areas in Kota Samarahan, namely Taman Univista and Samarindah.
Along the way, the delegation was briefed by DID Kuching-Samarahan engineer Irwandee Reduan on the contributing factors of recurring flash floods in Kota Samarahan areas and the proposed upgrading project of the drainage system along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway. — DayakDaily
