KUCHING: The Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the preparations to face the Northeast Monsoon 2024/2025 which is expected to start in early November 2024 until March 2025.

During the Northeast Monsoon, rain continues for several periods, resulting in floods in low residential and high-risk areas. 

According to SDMC Chairman, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, if heavy rain occurs simultaneously with high tide, the flood will get worse.

"According to the forecast of the Meteorological Department, heavy rain is expected in Sarawak from December 2024 until February 2025.

"The state is expected to experience its highest rainfall in January 2025," said the Sarawak Deputy Premier in a statement, today. 

He said SDMC is ready to face this monsoon with the involvement of agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Police, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department and the Malaysian Armed Forces with a combined strength of 9,817 personnel in addition to 295 land assets, 211 sea/river assets, 20 air assets and 269 support assets.

In terms of disaster relief supplies, the Department of Social Welfare has also been prepared to ensure that the capacity is sufficient at all storage depots, office depots and at forward bases.

A total of 660 Temporary Relief Centres that can accommodate 160,719 disaster victims are also ready to be used at any time.

Meanwhile, a total of 332 River Conservation Projects are also implemented under the Sarawak Irrigation and Drainage Department to repair and clean the drainage system to ensure a smooth flow of water, reducing the risk of flooding, as well improve the quality of river ecosystems.

"As the Chairman of SDMC, I have instructed all agencies in the Divisional Disaster Management Committees and District Disaster Management Committees to be prepared in terms of assets and logistics under the responsibility of each of them in the face of all possible disasters,” he continued.

Besides, he said Divisional Residents and District Officers were also instructed to ensure that the flood operations room in all regions can be activated when needed to ensure an efficient and effective response in facing flooding incidents.

"I am confident in the cooperation of related departments and agencies to ensure disaster management machinery at all levels are running smoothly.

"The community needs to prepare in advance if instructed to move to a safe place during a disaster and also reminded to keep all important documents safely from being lost and destroyed,” he added. -UKASnews