Only JPBNS can issue statement on flood situation in Sarawak

Any press statement on the flood situation in Sarawak can only be issued by the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee (JPBNS), said JPBNS secretariat spokesman Major Ismail Mahedir.

He said the matter had to be clarified to avoid conflicting information and data related to the flood situation in Sarawak.

"Only the JPBNS secretariat can issue information on floods, landslides, storms and earthquakes," he said in a statement here today.

Ismail said authorised information related to disasters could be obtained via the official disaster portal and Sarawak Civil Defence Department's (APM) Facebook site.

On the confusion over the number of flood victims in Sarawak, he said, the number stated were those affected after being cut off in Miri Division namely in Marudi, Niah and Beluru.

"They were not evacuated to any relief centre and to date we have not opened any relief centre," he said.

He said a total of 5,084 victims in Sarawak were affected by the floods but the situation was still within control.

He said the figure was to facilitate distribution of aid according to records gathered by the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and APM as well as for the rescue agencies to act upon.

He said JKM had prepared RM198,075 worth of food for distribution from Jan 25 to 27 which would be delivered by staff from Miri, Marudi, Beluru, Niah district offices, APM, BOMBA and the police. - BERNAMA