Drought: Sarawak outlines 5 plans of action

KUCHING, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- The State Disaster Management Committee in a meeting today decided on five plans of action to handle the drought that is expected to prevail until October.

Sarawak Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the plans include deepening of Sungai Bayai in Batang Undup and placing sandbags that will act as a dam to increase the water level at the submersible pump.

"Aside from that, clearing of leaves that clog the raw water flow," she told a media conference here today.

She said water tankers would be sent to affected areas in Sri Aman and water outlet centres opened at the government flat in Jalan Kedang and Sri Aman Public Works Department.

Meanwhile, committee chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said 26 forest fire hotspots had been detected in the state with Miri being the worst affected by the haze with seven.

“As for the air pollutant index (API), ILP Miri and SK Kuala Baram 2, are at hazardous level and Sri Aman at 'very unhealthy' while other stations are at moderate level," he said.

Uggah who is also Deputy Chief Minister said El-Nino and strong winds aggravated the fires.

On the haze affecting students, he said only the head/principal could decide whether to close their respective school.

“According to standard operating procedure, if the API reaches 200, the school should close but it is up to the head concerned," he added.

-- BERNAMA