Heavy rain and high tide have caused flooding across Lundu, Padawan, and Serian districts in Southern Sarawak, with Bomba on patrol.
KUCHING: Parts of Southern Sarawak are waking up to flooded streets and rising waters this morning, as a combination of overnight heavy rainfall and the high tide phenomenon continues to inundate residential areas across the districts of Lundu, Padawan, and Serian.
According to the latest ground reports from the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department — commonly known as Sarawak Bomba — settlements and roads across Lundu, Kota Sentosa, Batu Kitang, and the Kuching-Serian corridor were all recording rising water levels of approximately two feet as of noon today.
The high tide is exacerbating conditions in low-lying villages, pushing water levels higher than rainfall alone would account for, a pattern that has become increasingly familiar to communities in these areas during the current monsoon season.
Despite the widespread flooding, no mass evacuation order has been issued.
A number of affected families, however, have independently chosen to relocate themselves to nearby community halls situated on higher ground rather than wait out the rising waters in their homes — a pragmatic response that Sarawak Bomba acknowledged in its latest situational update.
“Our patrolling units are being despatched into the flooded zones to help affected residents in their homes,” the department said, confirming that personnel are actively conducting welfare checks and providing assistance to those who remain in inundated properties.
The flooding comes as no surprise to meteorologists.
Two days ago, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) issued an advisory warning of an intensifying monsoon surge across Sarawak and Sabah, cautioning that conditions could persist until next Monday.
Sarawak is currently in the tail-end of its Northeast Monsoon season, which typically runs from late November through to February or early March.
This is far from an isolated occurrence.
Since the monsoon season commenced in early December last year, communities across southern Sarawak have endured multiple rounds of flooding driven by the same dual forces — sustained torrential rain and the compounding effect of high tides along the coast and tidal rivers that penetrate far inland.
Low-lying kampung in Lundu, in particular, have been repeatedly affected, given their proximity to tidal waterways.
Sarawak Bomba has urged residents in flood-prone areas to remain vigilant and monitor water levels closely, especially given MetMalaysia’s forecast that the monsoon surge is not yet over.
Families in low-lying zones are advised to move valuables to higher floors and to make early arrangements to evacuate to community halls or relief centres should conditions worsen.
No casualties or injuries have been reported at the time of writing.
Further updates are expected as Bomba ground units continue their patrols across the affected districts.
The Sun Malaysia
