2015 East Malaysian floods
| Date | 17 January – 6 February |
|---|---|
| Location | (Kuching, Kota Samarahan, Simunjan, Mukah, and Limbang in Sarawak), (Beaufort (Membakut), Papar, Tenom and Sipitang in Sabah) |
| Deaths | 1 confirmed dead |
| Property damage | $1.03 billion (USD) |
High intensity rainfall since 17 January 2015 caused major flooding across several parts of Sarawak and Sabah. Around 13,878 people had been evacuated with one teenage girl became the only casualty.
According to a paper published by Malaysian Meteorological Department (MMD) in 2012 titled "Malaysia Climate Change Scenarios", the northeast monsoon has become more intense. There were drier months corresponding with heavier rainfalls in the past 10 years. As part of the northeast monsoon, continuous rain affected most areas in Sarawak including Johor in West Malaysia and parts of Sabah. MMD in a statement on 4 January said Kuching Division was expected to receive 900mm of rain while other divisions in Sarawak would receive between 400mm to 500mm of rain.
Sarawak had been raising its level of preparedness since 7 January as the meteorological department had forecast continuous rain in Sarawak. Around 3,417 personnel from various departments and agencies were ready to be mobilised to disaster and flood areas. The Sarawak state government put 239 lorries, 178 four-wheel-drives, three helicopters, a Royal Malaysian Air Force plane and three jet skis on standby. Operators at Sg Nyigu Light Industrial area, Bintulu were advised to clear industrial waste from their compounds in order to prevent flash floods from happening.
On 19 January, the floods had left many low-lying areas in the south of the state of Sarawak submerged in water thus forcing the people there to evacuate. A total of 22 relief centres opened in Kuching Division. More than 2,000 people evacuated from Kuching and its surrounding areas. A total of 1,015 villagers from 264 families in Kampung Simpok were evacuated to a relief centre in Sekolah Kebangsaan St Peter Kampung Simpok, Padawan. A main water pipe in Padawan also burst, leaving 20,000 villagers without water supply. There were also several landslides at Jalan Puncak Borneo, Kuching. As of 22 January, there were 3,373 evacuees in Kuching and 1,598 evacuees in Samarahan Division. Samarahan residents blamed on poor drainage system as the cause of floods. On 26 January, only two relief centres left open in Samarahan. The Kuching Division and coastal area of Simunjan were declared flood free.
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Wikipedia