KUCHING: The National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) has delivered Bailey Bridge construction components to Sarawak to repair broken bridges in remote districts, ahead of the coming monsoon season from November to March.
“We are thankful to Nadma for these vital components,” said Sarawak Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Amar Dougglas Uggah.
“The state Public Works Department will send the equipment to Sungai Baleh to build a new Bailey Bridge and replace the existing wooden one that was damaged by floods last year during the monsoon season.
“The bridge can be built within one week.”
Sungai Baleh, which is about 100m wide, is located near the Long Banga settlement in interior Baram.
Dougglas, who is also Sarawak deputy premier, said Nadma is helping to build similar iron bridges in interior central Sarawak to replace damaged ones.
“We have identified more than 200 locations throughout Sarawak where bridges are broken or damaged.
“Many are in (remote) locations where there are logging operations.”
Among the locations are rural areas such as Long San, Palungan, Bario, Long Pilah (in northern Sarawak), the Belaga and Kapit districts in central Sarawak and the Skrang and Sri Aman districts in southern Sarawak.
Dougglas expressed hope that Nadma and Putrajaya would help provide more equipment to Sarawak to construct new bridges at critical locations.
Long Banga in the Baram district is located about 200km inland from Miri city.
The Bailey Bridge components can be installed quickly and are made of iron, making them durable against heavy rain and floods.
The bridge would help ensure seamless road travel into interior and remote areas.
The construction of one bridge may vary depending on the width of the river and could cost up to RM300,000.
This excludes the cost of transporting components through mountainous terrain.
About one million residents in remote locations throughout Sarawak have to endure unsafe conditions on roads and bridges daily.
