MANY people in northern Sarawak have been forced out of their homes due to rising floodwaters caused by overnight rain.

The unusual flood in Lawas, the northernmost district in the state, Marudi, and as far up the highlands as Ba Kelalan on the Sarawak-Kalimantan border, has left dozens of villages under threat of inundation, while rice fields have been swamped.

Even the Lawas airport, which is located by the Lawas River, is under threat of closure.

According to the state disaster management committee, 12 people from two families in the Lawas sub-district of Trusan have been forced to seek temporary shelter at SJK Chung Hwa Trusan.

The temporary shelter opened at 3pm today.

The two families are from the villages of Lubok Abai and Long Tukon.

The Fire and Rescue Services Department, which did most of the evacuation, said some 88 people have sought shelter at the Trusan community hall or at their relatives’ and neighbours’ homes on higher ground.

The department said the victims who have been moved to the community hall are from Kg Ranau (7 people), Kg Gelapas (11) and Kg Seberang Kedai Trusan (10).

Ten others from Kg Seberang Kedai Trusan, one from Kg Long Suang, 12 from SK Long Tukon, three from Kg Murud Tuang, 21 from Kg Long Keliliang and nine from Kg Balai have sought shelter in their neighbours’ houses.

The fire department said they are now keeping watch over 12 villages there as floodwaters are reported to be rising.

In Marudi, areas under threat are SK Long Luteng, Kg Lellang, the Mulu bazaar and SK Penghulu Baya Mallang. Long Beruang in the Miri division is also affected.

So far, there are no evacuations in these areas.

In the highland settlement of Ba Kelalan, between 243ha to 283ha of paddy fields cultivating the famous Bario rice have been destroyed by floodwaters, according to the Buduk Nur village development and security committee.

Nine villages in the settlement are also under threat by floodwaters from rain, which fell high up in the mountains from 1am this morning. – May 20, 2021.