MoD officials visit worst-hit flood areas
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan 24: A landslide has shoved into a water treatment plant located along the road to the Tasek Lama Recreational Park in Bandar Seri Begawan.
Heavy rainfall over the last few days weakened a core segment of a hill, causing the soil to push through a gate and shake the water tanks in the treatment plant.
According to a member of the Public Works Department (PWD), Yusseiney Hj Jahli, the water treatment plant has been closed for public safety.
“(The plant has been closed) over fears of the potential leakage of chlorine (from a tank), an element that can be poisonous in high concentrations,” the 36-year-old said.
Present to witness the scale of the natural phenomenon was a caravan of officers from the Ministry of Development led by the Minister of Development, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman.
As the water treatment plant is part of the PWD, it also falls under the Ministry of Development (MoD).
Despite the hazard, the minister reassured that the water supply from the treatment plant does not affect the source of water to the public.
“The water treatment plant does not supply as much because we also have supplies (of water) from alternative sources,” the minister said.
As reported by The Brunei Times, the scene of the landslide happened slightly further from the Tasek Lama Recreational Park entrance, therefore, despite the magnitude of the landslide, it does not inhibit accessibility to the park.
“But regardless, we (Ministry of Development) are going to see to what extent the treatment plant can operate again,” the minister said.
“If it is not (operational anymore), InsyaAllah it (the treatment plant) will be relocated and a new one will be built,” the minister added.
Another case attended by the minister was a 30-metre subduction zone along Jln Duta, off Jln Kebangsaan.
Asked on precautionary measures the ministry will take, the minister said that for now the collapsed road can only be covered to prevent further soil erosion.
“The next step (to repair the road) is to review the weaknesses of this road,” the minister said.
“A protective barrier could be set up to prevent future heavy rainfall from disrupting the foundation of the road.”
“InsyaAllah, reparations will begin once the (rainy weather) has stopped,” the minister told The Brunei Times.
These landslide events were just two of 44 cases reported by the Brunei-Muara District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) yesterday.
This review was the first half of visits to rainfall-affected areas made by the Minister of Development in the Brunei-Muara district.
The second half of the visits focused primarily on flooded areas in the Tutong district, namely Kg Tanjong Maya, Kg Layong, Kg Penapar, Kg Lubok Pulau, Kg Layong, Kg Panchong, Kg Rambai, Kg Ukong, Kg Sungai Damit and Kg Bukit Udal.
In the Tutong district, the water level in some areas reached as high as 2.5 metres and only sport utility vehicles and trucks were seen to be able to withstand the water current.
With regards to the flood, the minister said that although previous efforts had been made to improve the situation, the recurrent rain has overwhelmed them.
“InsyaAllah the affected areas, whichever that requires assistance (from the ministry), will be helped,” the minister reassured.
source: The Brunei Times
