By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 25: With the year-end monsoon season in full swing, the number of temporary evacuation centres (PPS) activated throughout the State peaked at 20 around 12pm yesterday.
Earlier today, Deputy Premier of Sarawak and Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said six of the centres were in Samarahan division, five in Serian, four in Kuching, and two in Betong.
“The total number of flood evacuees (at that time) is 1,345 people from 357 families,” he told reporters after hosting a Christmas open house at his residence in Taman BDC here today.
However, according to an SDMC infographic report as of 3pm today, 18 of the PPS have been closed.
This leaves only two active PPS, namely Kampung Rimba Padi Multipurpose Hall and Kampung Koran Mawang Hall, which are both in Serian District.
The number of victims also shown a decreasing trend with Kampung Rimba Padi Multipurpose Hall recorded 84 people from 27 families while Kampung Koran Mawang Hall recorded 57 people from seven families.
It is also worth mentioning that PPS Kampung Koran Mawang Hall was activated at 5pm on Dec 23 not due to flood, but after seven houses in the village were affected by soil erosion and at risk for possible landslide due to continuous rain.
Nevertheless, members of the public especially those residing in the low-lying areas are advised to be vigilant.
In the event of flood, they may contact their respective district or Resident Office. — DayakDaily
