Floods receding as water level in Rajang River returns to normal

SIBU: The overall flood situation in Sibu has improved yesterday compared to Friday, the water level in Rajang River having dropped to normal.

The lower portion of Lanang Road near the town was impassable to small vehicles on Friday (water spilt onto the road around 11am yesterday morning). It is now passable to all vehicles.

Khoo Peng Loong Road was dry yesterday with only puddles on the roadside. The stretch of this road that got submerged is now passable to all vehicles.

“The overall situation (here) is improving but flood levels are cyclic. The water level at Rajang River is now at normal level due to the receding tide.

“The maximum water level in the town area today (yesterday) is about 0.22m lower than last night (Friday),” Department of Drainage and Irrigation (DID) Sibu divisional engineer Ting Sing Kwong told thesundaypost yesterday.

However, he was quick to point out that the water level might reach warning levels when the high tide comes in.

Ting said areas protected by the Sibu Flood Mitigation Project remained dry.

According to Malaysia Civil Defence Force’s (APM) report, the access road to Rh Sipok, Sungai Assan here was inundated late Friday night.

At ‘Tuai Rumah’ Charlie, Pulau Kerto, the access road to the longhouse was under one to 1.5 feet of water.

Elsewhere in Rumah Joseph at Salim-Stabau Road, a portion of access road to the longhouse was still under two feet of water.

Meanwhile, nine primary schools here were temporarily closed on Friday due to floods. A total of 510 pupils and 132 staff were affected.

Sibu Divisional education officer Wong Chung Kung said these schools were cut off when the water level rose on Friday morning.

The combination of rainfall at the upper reaches, coupled with water released from Bakun Dam through its spillway, and the king tide had greatly increased the volume of water in the river, causing it to overflow. The resulting floods here began on Thursday before worsening on Friday.