Bad weather hampers delivery of relief aid
MIRI: Bad weather hampered the distribution of relief aid to pupils of SK Long Sobeng and residents of Long Sobeng who are affected by the flood.
Long Sobeng was hit by the flood since last Saturday.
“Long Sobeng is the worst area to be hit by flood in Telang Usan. The flood on Saturday reached the roof top of SK Long Sobeng, forcing 45 pupils and 17 teachers including non-academic staff to evacuate to the longhouse.”
Also affected were some 200 residents of the longhouse, who ran out of food.
“Early this morning I received a distress call from the school principal that they were running out of food, asking for relief to be sent immediately. I immediately
Early this morning I received a distress call from the school principal that they were running out of food, asking for relief to be sent immediately.
conveyed the message to Deputy Chief Minister Dato Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also chairman of State Disaster and Relief Committee,” Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau told The Borneo Post who joined the operation.
Long Sobeng was cut off after the bridge was washed away by the flood.
Uggah immediately instructed Miri Welfare Department office to quickly send relief aid to the school and the 200 longhouse residents by using a helicopter from the Air Unit of Fire and Rescue Department.
The weather was reported to be fine before the helicopter took off from Miri around 2.45pm. After 15 minutes of flying and when they were about to reach Marudi, Major Zahrol Abd Talib told Dennis that they had to turn back to Miri due to zero visibility caused by bad weather.
“Due to safety reason the helicopter had to return to Miri together with the relief. Let’s hope and pray that the weather will be good and kind enough for us to send the urgently needed relief to the school and residents at Long
Dennis Ngau, Telang Usan assemblyman
Sobeng,” said Dennis.
According to Dennis, the school and the longhouse had been notified that efforts to send the relief were hampered by bad weather.
He assured that the relief will be sent this morning if the weather permits.