BY CLEMENT ERIK WONG & NUR SHAZREENA ALI
KUCHING: Floods caused by incessant heavy downpour since Tuesday worsened today in some parts of the state.
Worried for the safety of the flood victims, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg took to the ground to meet some of them today.
He was accompanied by, among others, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, PBB Satok branch deputy chairman Datuk Ibrahim Baki, political secretary to Chief Minister Abdul Samat Ghani and Kuching Resident Herrina Hussaini.
They visited two temporary evacuation centres — one at Desa Wira in Batu Kawa and another at Taman Malihah — which were also affected by floods and resulted in the relocation of the evacuees to new sites.
The flood victims in Desa Wira and those in Taman Malihah were relocated to Stapok and SJK Chung Hua Sungai Tengah, respectively. The two evacuation centres at Desa Wira and Taman Malihah were the biggest set up so far.
Abang Johari also visited the temporary evacuation centre at Kamaruddin Community Hall in Kpg Segedup.
His visits brought smiles and some relief to the flood victims.
During the visits, Abang Johari took the opportunity to hand over food aid and also to get first-hand information about the flood situation from the victims.
The State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said as at 4pm today, 3,387 more individuals from 885 families, had been placed in various temporary evacuation centres in four divisions.
“The divisions consisted of six districts, namely Kuching and Bau districts for Kuching Division; Samarahan and Simunjan districts for Samarahan Division; Serian District for Serian Division; and Miri District for Miri Division.
“A total of 2,494 victims were in the Kuching Division, while 145 victims in Samarahan Division, 719 in Serian Division and 29 in Miri Division,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
In total, 46 temporary evacuation centres have been set up statewide. Of the total, 33 are in Kuching, eight in Serian, three in Samarahan and two in Miri.
According to the Meteorology Department, the King tide phenomenon is likely to persist for another week.
Some of the houses that were partly submerged under floodwaters in Kampung Desa Wira Lot in Batu Kawah. 
A view of some of the flooded homes in Taman Malihah, Matang. The occupants have been asked to take temporary refuge evacuation centre. 
The ‘comboy town’ Siniawan along Kuching-Bau Road, which is famous for food galore during weekends ‘transformed’ from a watering hole to a watery despair.
