Flood hits Baram longhouses, schools following days of continuous rain

MIRI (Oct 5): Several longhouses and schools in Baram were inundated following continuous rain since Friday which caused the Baram and Tinjar river to overflow.

Long Bemang village security and development committee (JKKK) deputy secretary Puyang Jok when contacted said the four longhouses in the village were flooded since last night following a heavy two-hour downpour.

“The water level in the longhouses as of 3pm today was at 1.6 feet deep and it is still rising.

“The electricity supply to all the units has been shut down at 10am today to prevent any untoward incidents,” she said.

Long Bemang is a flood-prone village due to its location which is situated in a low-lying area and close proximity to the river.

According to Puyang, this was the third time the village was hit by flood this year.

Other longhouses that were reported to have been hit by flood as of yesterday include Long Laput, Long Jegan, Long Loyang, Long Sobeng, Long Teran as a few other villages in Tinjar.

However, most of the flood in these areas has receded this morning.

Marudi Fire and Rescue station chief Maureen Sim said that the flood in Long Laput has receded yesterday.

“So far, from Apoh area, only Long Bemang was still flooded. Meanwhile, in Marudi, the water level is rising but so far, we have not received reports on villages or longhouses hit by flood in Marudi,” she said.

Meanwhile, the schools that were reported to have been hit by flood yesterday include SK Long Jegan and SK Long Loyang.

A source at SK Long Loyang when contacted said that the flood at the school has receded this morning.

“We are monitoring the situation closely in case the water level is rising again,” the source said.