One of the rescuers carrying a pupil from SJK Sebiew Chinese to safety.
This photo shared by a Facebook user shows some pupils boarding a JPAM truck to safety.
Several pupils of SJK Sebiew Chinese taken to safety by rescuers.
4 primary schools in Bintulu closed due to floods caused by non-stop rain since Tuesday night
BINTULU: Rescue personnel from various agencies rushed to SJK Sebiew Chinese around 9am yesterday to evacuate some 500 pupils and 35 teachers and parents as floods forced four schools here to close.
Fifty-eight People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), Bintulu Fire and Rescue Services Department (Bomba), Civil Defence (JPAM), Kemunting Bomba volunteer team, police and Sarawak River Board personnel sprang into action using boats and vehicles.
Rela Bintulu officer Abdul Rashid Ibrahim, when met, said the water level at SJK Sebiew Chinese eventually reached about four feet high.
SJK Sebiew Chinese board member Pemanca Dr Francis Toh Chiew Peng was among those who were at the school to monitor the evacuation operation, which among others, saw Bomba Bintulu sending nine personnel with one boat and four vehicles to give assistance.
The continuous downpour here since Tuesday night also resulted in SK Ulu Silas in Sebauh, SK Ulu Segan and SK Sg Tisang Mile 8 to be closed.
Of the four schools that were confirmed closed by Bintulu Education officer Abdul Muin Abdul Kassim, SK Sg Silas was the worst hit. It was submerged in eight feet of water, but the school was closed today and its teachers relocated to a nearby longhouse as a precautionary measure.
“We want to inform parents that this is just a temporary closure and the schooling session will be back as usual tomorrow (today, Jan 23),” said Abdul Muin.
It is understood that pupils of SK Ulu Segan and SK Sg Tisang were not in harm’s way as their schools were near longhouses, which were not flooded.
Abdul Rashid Ibrahim said the non-stop rainfall since Tuesday night had also flooded two longhouses in Sebauh and Ulu Segan.
He said Rela had stationed teams in flood prone areas such as Kemunting, Mile 5, Tun Hussein Onn Road, Ulu Segan, Sebauh, and in Bintulu town.
As at 4pm yesterday, 45 people from 11 families, mostly from Mile 5 area, were evacuated to the relief centre at Dewan Suarah Bintulu.
“All team members have been instructed to get ready at their respective locations for search and rescue operations.”
Bomba Bintulu chief Dihata Gobel, when contacted said, several longhouses along Bintulu-Miri road were flooded yesterday and the residents were told to move to higher grounds.
“Most of them are now staying with their relatives in nearby longhouses that are not affected by the flash flood.”
He said his men were monitoring the situation closely at several residential areas such as Beverly Hill, Taman Jasmine and Jade Garden.
Meanwhile, Facebook seems to be the favourite medium of communication used by locals to stay on top of the flood situation. Most people and the relevant authorities seemed prepared for any eventuality as they had learned from the flash flood had hit Bintulu town last December 29.
Flood opearation room said among the affected areas were Rh Banyang and Rh Francis Ikau at Mile 8 Bintulu-Miri road, Rh Eloh,Rh Telajat,Rh Dato and Kampung Banyai in Ulu Sebauh, Rh Anthony, Ulu Segan, Kampung Kemunting and squatters settlements nearby the Kidurong roundabout and Sg Sebatang, Tg Kidurong road, residential areas along Tun Hussein Onn road and Mile 5 Beverly Hill, Jade Garden, Jason Park and Bandar Jaya Park.
