KUCHING – The Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) has reinforced its readiness to face potential flooding amid unpredictable weather conditions, with comprehensive measures in place to safeguard residents.
DBKU Mayor Dato Hilmy Othman said early preparations have been carried out, including drainage system maintenance and asset inspections, to ensure operations can be activated swiftly if flooding occurs.
“DBKU has made early preparations to address this issue. We have instructed staff to ensure that the drainage system in the DBKU area is maintained in advance, including carrying out maintenance work, cleaning streams and so on,” he explained during a press conference after inspecting DBKU’s flood assets on Thursday.
Beyond infrastructure maintenance, DBKU has strengthened monitoring through the establishment of a 24-hour Service Centre (PK24J).
The centre functions as an information and complaint coordination hub, enabling continuous oversight of incidents across the city.
“This is a preparation by DBKU not only to deal with the flood issue but to cover all activities throughout the city so that we can monitor any incidents that occur in our area,” Dato Hilmy added.
DBKU has also mobilised a wide range of machinery and equipment to support flood response operations. These include a backhoe loader, tipper truck, covered lorry, highmast mobile lighting, pickup trucks, a boat, tractors, safety jackets, safety tape, and other essential tools. A generator has also been prepared to ensure power supply continuity in areas affected by outages.
In addition, DBKU has identified 22 flood hotspot areas across its jurisdiction, which are being closely monitored throughout the monsoon season.
To accommodate residents in the event of displacement, DBKU has readied 56 Temporary Evacuation Centres (PPS) within its constituencies. Each centre can host between 150 and 200 people, providing shelter and basic facilities for flood victims.
Dato Hilmy stressed that these measures reflect DBKU’s proactive approach to disaster preparedness, ensuring that Kuching remains resilient against seasonal challenges.
Community leaders and residents have welcomed the initiative, noting that the combination of infrastructure upgrades, monitoring systems, and evacuation planning offers reassurance during the monsoon period.
The preparations highlight Sarawak’s broader commitment to disaster risk management, with DBKU’s efforts serving as a model for urban resilience in flood-prone areas.
