KUCHING: Patients on the ground floor of Sarawak General Hospital here had to be evacuated as ankle-deep floodwaters entered the medical facility.
A state Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said a team was deployed to the hospital to evacuate patients on the ground floor to the higher level.
“The relocation of patients went on smoothly without any untoward incidents,” he said adding that firefighters were helping hospital staff to clean the premise.
The flash floods here is expected to worsen as continuous rain is expected to shower several areas in Kuching and Samarahan until this afternoon.
Checks by the New Straits Times found that flash floods had inundated roads here, including Jalan Tun Openg, Jalan Batu Lintang, Jalan Padungan, Jalan Tabuan Dayak and the roads near the Sarawak General Hospital.
According to Kuching Zone Fire and Rescue Station chief Tiong Ling Hi Jalan Tabuan Dayak was among the worst affected by the downpour, with floodwaters about 1m.
“Our men and assets are on standby now and ready to be deployed if the situation worsens,” he said.
The Meteorology Department today has issued a heavy rain warning for the divisions of Samarahan, Serian and Kuching.
The department, on its website, said heavy rain was expected to persist in these divisions until early afternoon.