KUCHING: Shallow rivers are among the contributors to flash floods which often occur in several areas in the state.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said, several rivers in Sarawak are experiencing critical shallow riverbed problems, especially in the interior of the state.
According to Uggah, the river bed becomes shallow due to the sedimentation process and needs to be cleaned to deepen the river bed for the water to flow in the event of heavy rain.
“The State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) will submit proposals to the state and federal governments to obtain financial allocations to clean up these rivers.
“In the past when I was a minister in Kuala Lumpur (federal level) responsible for environmental (problems), there was a provision to clean the rivers.”
Uggah, who is also SDMC chairman said this to reporters after visiting flood victims at temporary evacuation centres (PPS) Dewan Kampung Sungai Bedaun and Dewan Sinaran Lumut. He added that the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) has identified all critical rivers that require clearing works to help address flash floods in the state and has compiled the list for further action by the state government.
