A school is surrounded by flood waters in Long Terawan.
MIRI (May 21): MASWings will help to airlift 440 emergency food packs to flood victims in three villages and a primary school in Tutoh, Mulu assemblyman Dato Gerawat Gala said.
The Dewan Undangan Negeri deputy speaker said he had asked for the assistance for the victims at Long Iman, Kampung Melinau, Kampung Batu Bungan and the primary school, SK Batu Bungan.
“MASWings operates ATR flights to Mulu and the food aid is expected to be sent there by tomorrow,” he told The Borneo Post.
Prolonged heavy rain on Wednesday afternoon in the upper reaches of Sungai Tutoh caused the river to burst its banks.
The swift current of the flood waters had swept away a bridge at Long Kawa and damaged other vital infrastructure, cutting off settlements.
Lower down in Mulu, the flood waters also affected Penan settlements at Kampung Iman and Kampung Batu Bungan and the Berawans at Kampung Melinau near Mulu National Park.
Gerawat said the emergency aid could not be sent by river today due to the strong current of Sungai Tutoh, which had burst its banks.
Nonetheless, the Fire and Rescue Department is deploying their logistics and personnel from Marudi to Mulu by boat today to provide assistance.
Meanwhile, Councillor Garry Hassim Wan from Long Terawan said the water level is slowly receding in the affected settlements and he hoped the situation will improve with better weather today.