Bottled water delivered to victims of drought

SIBU: Five hundred boxes of bottled water (1.5L) were delivered to victims of a drought from nine longhouses and a primary school in Nanga Tutus, Batang Igan near here yesterday.

When contacted, acting Sibu Division Welfare officer Soon Kong Tiong confirmed that the drinking water had been supplied to bring relief to affected folks.

The longhouses sheltering 153 families were Rh Ali ( 34 families), Rh Muja ( 27 families), Rh Ukar (27 families), Rh Steven (18 families), Rh Augustine (12 families), Rh Lidwina ( 24 families), Rh Michael (12 families), Rh Engir (seven families) and Rh Samakau (five families).

Water was also supplied to primary school SK Nanga Tutus which has 69 pupils and 13 staff.

“The agencies involved are Civil Defence Department (JPAM), Welfare Department and Sibu District Office. They completed distributing the bottled water at 1.30pm today (yesterday). The bottled water was given by Welfare Department,” Soon told The Borneo Post.

The number of victims was being ascertained at some longhouses.

People short of drinking water during the dry spell forwarded their request for drinking water through Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, Daniel Bujal.

Last week, the Welfare Department here received from Selangau District Office requests to supply water to 18- door Rh Watson in Pelugau where the gravity feed had dried up due to the dry weather.

According to Soon, the department sent the water supply to the longhouse located about 45 minutes’ drive from Selangau town.