Water release, rain raise Sibu flood risk

SIBU: With the water level rising in Bakun Dam, the management is planning to release excess water through its spillway.

If incessant rain were to fall during the exercise, low-lying areas downstream may be flooded, Department of Irrigation and Drainage ( DID) Sibu divisional engineer Ting Sing Kwong told The Borneo Post yesterday.

“Folk staying in low-lying areas and near river banks are urged to be alert.”

Meanwhile, days of torrential rain had caused flash floods at several areas near here.

The affected areas are Taman Desa Kemuyang, Kampung Bahagia Jaya at Teku, and Kampung Jeriah at Oya Road which were flooded on Wednesday.

Ting said the flash floods occurred due to sunken roads and drains at soft peat soil area.

Last week, ponding due to sunken roads had resulted in water collecting along certain portions of Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce Road near SMK Bukit Assek heading towards Farley Supermarket, following heavy rain over the past few days.

Ting said the trapped water could not flow out to the river because the roads were low.

On the pump stations here, Ting had said the first pump would start operations when water level reached 2.15m

When water level touched 2.35m the second pump would be triggered, he added.

The third and fourth pumps would start pumping out water when the water level reached 2.55m and 2.75m respectively.

The pumps stop when the water level drops to 1.70m.

In May this year, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar told The Borneo Post that about RM100 million had been allocated for Phase 3 of the flood mitigation project here.

He said the entire project – spread over four phases – cost about RM600 million.

The Santubong MP added that Phases 1 and 2 costing RM308 million had already been completed.

He noted that since Sibu was sitting on a very low-lying area, there was a need for retaining walls and pump stations to drain excess water.