Tiong calls for immediate dredging works to mitigate flash floods in Sibu

SIBU (Aug 25): The relevant authorities, especially the Drainage Irrigation Department (DID) should quickly obtain data from riverbed surveys and immediately begin urgent dredging works to alleviate the flash flood problems in Sibu, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Dato Sri Tiong King Sing.

Tiong, who is Bintulu MP and Dudong assemblyman, said the current flood was one of the most severe and had the highest water levels he had personally inspected.

“It’s hard to imagine how dangerous and terrifying the situation is for the residents, especially for the children the elderly and vulnerable women,” he said in a Facebook post.

Tiong said most areas in Salim-Stabau were cut off from the road network due to the rising waters.

“The residents are essentially unable to contact the outside world,” he added.

He said it was reported that teachers and students were trapped in a remote school for more than 10 hours before being rescued.

“That is why I had to visit ever household with the relevant personnel yesterday.

“Even though the water level reached chest height, we insisted on wading through because we had to ensure that these disaster victims would not suffer from food shortages due to the flood and to understand the troubles and losses caused by long-term flooding.”

Moreover, Tiong said the saying “better safe than sorry” applied here, and only by thoroughly inspecting the disaster areas could they truly understand if this flood had caused unnecessary casualties.

“I am about 170cm tall and even I found it difficult to more through such deep floodwaters. A slight misstep could have caused me to fall into the filthy water.

“Yet, the residents of Salim-Stabau have lived in such terrible conditions for years, and when floods come, they are helpless. Are we just going to stand by and watch them suffer?”