Flood waters inundate almost 20 schools in Sarawak

Flooding in Sarawak continues to worsen, inundating almost 20 schools in Bau and Padawan as at 5PM, a Sarawak education departmet notice states.

The notice was shared by the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department operation centre’s Facebook page, which has been providing live updates of the situation.

This affects 6,255 students, while 2,864 students are affected because their schools are used as temporary flood shelters, the education department’s notice states.

Pictures shared on the page show waters rising as high as a school fence at Bau.

“The situation now at SMK Bau. The water is as high as the school fence,” the department said in a posting at about 5.30pm today.

Water at Tasik Biru, a lake in Bau, located 46 kilometres southwest of Kuching is also breaking the banks, pictures show.

Pusat Gerakan Operasi Negeri Sarawak

11 hours ago

Air dari Tasik Biru Bau telah melimpah keluar.

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All gates at the Kuching Barrage have been opened, the fire and rescue department says, with Sungai Sarawak levels hitting 9.15 metres upriver and 9.10 metres downriver, it said.

Pusat Gerakan Operasi Negeri Sarawak

11 hours ago

Kesemua Pintu Barrage telah dibuka.

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As at 5pm today, the Sarawak education department said schools affected by flooding in Bau are:

• SK Buso;
• SK Tembawang;
• SMK (C) Chung Hwa Siniawan;
• SK Suba Buan;
• SJK Chung Hua Kranji;
• SK Segong; and
• SMK Bau.

Schools affected in Padawan are:

• SK Batu Kitang;
• SK Rantau Panjang;
• SK Patung;
• SK Landen;
• SK St Augustine;
• SK St Patrick;
• SK St Mathew;
• SK St Dunstan;
• SJK (C) Chung Hua Batu Kitang;
• SK St Gile;
• SK St Swithun; and
• SMK Tun Abdul Razak.

One school in Serian - SK St Theresa Serian – is inundated with about two feet of water, the notice by the education department states.

The schools used as evacuation centres are:

• SMK Batu Kawa (Padawan)
• SMK St Peter Simpok (Padawan)
• SK George Punau (Padawan)
• SK Sinuwan (Bau)
• SK Tanah Merah (Serian); and
• SMK Tebakang (Serian).

There a total 31 evacuation centres opened in Kuching, Serian and Samarahan, as the worsening flooding affects 5,729 from 1,527 families by nightfall, Bernama reports.

This is up from 3,724 earlier today.

River levels in affected areas are not critical, it reported, but non-stop rain is expected in these three areas. -Mkini