By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, June 7: A total of 340 individuals from 65 households were recently affected by the worst flood ever to hit Long Busang, where several houses were damaged, said Belaga assemblyman Datuk Liwan Lagang.
“Yesterday, Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak and I visited Long Busang and gave out assistance to the victims who have been affected by the worst flood two days ago,” Liwan told DayakDaily upon his return from the settlement today.
Liwan, who is also Assistant Minister for Water Supplies, also gave RM30,000, while Ugak gave RM20,000 to the victims.
“We would also like to thank the Welfare Department (Kapit) for rendering immediate assistance to the victims, too. Among the items were rice, sugar, salts, noodles and food items,” he disclosed.
Meanwhile, Liwan and Ugak also paid Hari Raya visits on Muslim families in Long Busang.
The visit to the remote Badeng Kenyah village, situated some eight hours by boat from Bakun Lake and using the alternate route from Kapit town, which will take four hours by boat and four hours by four-wheel-drive vehicles through logging road, was made possible with the assistance of the Bukit Mabong District Office.
Liwan also revealed that he had briefed Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also Sarawak Disaster Relief Committee chairman, on the actual situation faced by the Long Busang folk.
On a related matter, Liwan said the Bakun hydroelectricity dam could not cope with the amount of rainfall that started on June 1.
“According to the Long Busang folk, it was raining heavily on the night of June 1, and the whole day of June 2-3. Kampung Long Busang, being situated at the mouth of Busang River, was badly hit when both the Balui and Busang Rivers swelled at the same time.
And as a result, the village was hit by the flood since the morning of June 3 to June 4. — DayakDaily
