Residents in Tabuan Dayak wading through flood water on Wednesday evening.
Shopkeepers at Tabuan Dayak transferring items such as cooking gas cylinders to safety during the flood on Wednesday evening. — Photos by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) cannot do much about the recurring flash floods that hit Kampung Tabuan Dayak here as the weather and king tide are beyond their control.
Its acting city secretary John Lee said the council was well aware of the flash flood issue in the mentioned low-lying area, but the hands of his staff were tied.
He pointed out that MBKS had upgraded the main drain in Kampung Tabuan Dayak before 2011 while drains in the area had been cleared on a regular basis.
“Due to heavy rains and being among the lowest points in the city, unfortunately, flash floods happened. There is nothing much we can do unless we can control the king tide,” he said in a phone interview here yesterday.
Not less than 100 households in Kampung Tabuan Dayak here were struck by flash floods after 5pm on New Year’s Day following intermittent rain.
Lee said several MBKS staff went to the ground on Wednesday evening to monitor the situation.
“Our people were there, taking pictures of the water up to a depth of one-and-a-half feet. There was also a massive traffic jam in the area due to the flash flood,” he elaborated.
Calling on road users to avoid the area during the king tide and rainy season, he said: “The public should be more alert to the situation or they will end up being stranded.”
Residents of Kampung Tabuan Dayak, however claimed that the council had failed to improve the drainage system in the housing area.
Not only were houses at Lorong 5 slightly flooded due to the stubborn downpours, but units at Lorong 10 and Lorong 10A faced the same fate.
Even though the flood water receded yesterday, a couple of families were still struggling to discharge the flood water from their homes.
A few residents there claimed to have lodged complaints regarding clogged drains with MBKS since 2010. The local authority was also accused of not doing its job, which caused the flash flood.
“We have been complaining and they did come to inspect once or twice. But there has been no action since the inspection,” a resident said.