NST Online 2007/12/21
Kuching, Sibu on maximum alert

KUCHING: Flood watchers and rescue services in the Kuching and Sibu divisions of Sarawak have been ordered to be on maximum alert.
There are fears that Kuching and Samarahan could, for the first time in three years, be hit by floods, while Sibu and low-lying areas along the Rajang River could again be inundated by water, the second time in as many weeks, this weekend."The forecast for areas in central and western Sarawak this weekend is not too good," the state's Natural Disaster and Relief Committee chairman Tan Sri Dr George Chan said yesterday."In fact, it is quite bad. Heavy rain has been forecast for the next 72 hours over these parts of the state. And all it takes is 100ml of rain to trigger a flood," he added.Dr Chan said strong winds of up to 50kph had also been forecast to hit the coastal areas of the southern half of the state over the same period.
He said the winds could push the tides even higher."The spectre of floods is there. Even today, it's already looking gloomy over Kuching." Kuching folks celebrated Hari Raya Aidiladha yesterday in cold and wet conditions.Sibu and low-lying areas along Sungai Rajang were hit by floods last week after 112ml of rain fell over Kapit.Those were the first areas in the state to be hit by a major flood this year.There was some evacuation in Kanowit, with more than 40 families from two longhouses moved to higher ground.Floods in the state are normally triggered by the combination of heavy rain and the seasonal king tide, whose cycle starts tomorrow. It ends on Dec 29 with the king tide on Christmas Day the highest at 6.1metres.The last time Kuching and Samarahan divisions were hit by a serious flood was in 2004.