More than 250 houses damaged in floods
Monday, February 11, 2008
BUKOK in Temburong has suffered the worst damage in the recent flash floods. However, the other badly hit area of Belais is slowly recovering with the floodwater receding and rescue and relief operations in full swing there.
According to Rosmaria Haji Ibrahim, the PRO of the district office (Temburong), an estimated 255 houses in the district have suffered damage.Though the situation at Temburong has improved where the water level had reached more than five feet, the people have started clearing away the water from their homes and cleaning the area.
"School is definitely on hold," said Haji Muhd Suazmi Haji Zulkifli, a school teacher at the Bukok Primary School, as he pointed at the school where the water had entered class rooms and damaged the property. He said books, records, tables, chairs and bags were washed away in the floodwater.
On Saturday, the water level had almost reached at the second floor of the primary school but now the water has receded.
Another resident of Kampung Bukok described how quickly the water level had risen and caught him by surprise. "I was keeping a watch on the water on the school side," he said, adding "when suddenly, we were completely surrounded by water as it came from the sides."
"We were at a friend's place when we were told about the flood, by the time we reached our home, everything was ruined," said the man who had to spend the night on a boat at their garage with his father and brother just to keep their belongings from drifting away from the house. He added that night the water level had risen so high that it almost reached the top of the roof, almost trapping them. Fortunately, as the water receded slowly towards morning. "We won't be able to restock until next month," said a man who works at the local poultry farm, where they had lost 3,300 of their stocks due to the floods. Most of the lost stock were later thrown away at a disposal area.
The residents of Temburong have been facing difficulties in trying to repair the damage caused by the flood. Food has become scarce in some areas where normal transportation links have been disrupted. At the same time, several of the residents are facing power outages as the flood has damaged electricity connections..
However, the Department of Community Development, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the Police, the Fire Brigade, the Hospital as well as the community in Temburong have joined the efforts to ease the suffering.
The Brunei Times
According to Rosmaria Haji Ibrahim, the PRO of the district office (Temburong), an estimated 255 houses in the district have suffered damage.Though the situation at Temburong has improved where the water level had reached more than five feet, the people have started clearing away the water from their homes and cleaning the area.
"School is definitely on hold," said Haji Muhd Suazmi Haji Zulkifli, a school teacher at the Bukok Primary School, as he pointed at the school where the water had entered class rooms and damaged the property. He said books, records, tables, chairs and bags were washed away in the floodwater.
On Saturday, the water level had almost reached at the second floor of the primary school but now the water has receded.
Another resident of Kampung Bukok described how quickly the water level had risen and caught him by surprise. "I was keeping a watch on the water on the school side," he said, adding "when suddenly, we were completely surrounded by water as it came from the sides."
"We were at a friend's place when we were told about the flood, by the time we reached our home, everything was ruined," said the man who had to spend the night on a boat at their garage with his father and brother just to keep their belongings from drifting away from the house. He added that night the water level had risen so high that it almost reached the top of the roof, almost trapping them. Fortunately, as the water receded slowly towards morning. "We won't be able to restock until next month," said a man who works at the local poultry farm, where they had lost 3,300 of their stocks due to the floods. Most of the lost stock were later thrown away at a disposal area.
The residents of Temburong have been facing difficulties in trying to repair the damage caused by the flood. Food has become scarce in some areas where normal transportation links have been disrupted. At the same time, several of the residents are facing power outages as the flood has damaged electricity connections..
However, the Department of Community Development, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the Police, the Fire Brigade, the Hospital as well as the community in Temburong have joined the efforts to ease the suffering.
The Brunei Times
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