RESIDENTS of Kuching, Samarahan and Lundu, 100km from the city, woke up today to find large swathes of their neighbourhood flooded after an overnight downpour.

The rain started at 6pm yesterday and it was still raining at noon today.

Some of the city’s condominium residents woke up to find their parked cars half-submerged.

Reports from the Fire and Rescue Services Department and the Civil Defence Department said many of Kuching’s low-lying flood-prone areas are under water and all the main roads leading to the city from the neighbouring division of Samarahan, 21km away, Serian and the coastal town of Lundu, are impassable.

Stalled cars added to the traffic woes. There were reports of motorists driving off the flooded road into drains.

There are, however, no reports of deaths.

The Fire Department is running a live feed on its Facebook page to show the extent of the flood and warn motorists which roads are impassable.

Some roads have been washed away with one cutting off the link between Kuching and Lundu.

Residents of Kg Tabuan Dayak on the outskirts of the city and the Batu Kawa villages of Sinar Budi Baru and Malihah had to move to relief centres.

They were forced out of their homes by floodwaters last month.

The department evacuated 89 people from six families to relief centres. – February 19, 2021.