BINTULU: Heavy rain since 4pm yesterday has caused some parts of the Pan Borneo Highway which is still under construction to cave in.
Several parts of the road at KM48 of Jalan Bintulu-Tatau were badly damaged in the 4.45pm incident, affecting the traffic flow in the area.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee spokesperson confirmed the incident and said the contractors were in the midst of diverting the traffic.
He said the swift action was needed to ensure the traffic flow to go smoothly for the convenience of road users and locals since the road is the main road connecting Bintulu and Sibu.
“At the moment, contractors who are involved with the highway project are constructing a temporary road and at the same time easing the traffic at the location,” he said when contacted today.
However, highway users, either from Bintulu or Sibu, are advised to use alternative routes in Kuala Balingian – Kuala Tatau to avoid being stuck in a jam.
“The road which was just slipped at first now totally caved in at 6pm yesterday and totally inaccessible now.
“The collapsed road is located across Jiram longhouse near Tatau town,” said the spokesperson.
Meanwhile, a check by NSTP found that the contractor company has deployed workers at the area to control the traffic as a safety measure.
It is understood that the company has also placed a geotechnical engineer to monitor the soil movement at the location.