KUCHING, 16 Jan 2009: The Trans-Borneo Highway that connects the north and south of Sarawak was made impassable to traffic after being hit by a landslide at KM135 of the Jalan Sibu-Bintulu stretch at about 1pm today.
A Mukah police district spokesman contacted by Bernama said the incident happened near Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Arip, Mukah about 600km from Kuching.
“Based on information we received the Trans-Borneo Highway is cut for 300m,” he said.
He said no loss of life had been reported and work was going on actively to repair the stretch, adding that the repair work was being done by the Public Works Department personnel from Sibu, Mukah and Bintulu.
The spokesperson said hundreds of vehicles, including buses operating between the north and south of Sarawak, had to turn back either to Sibu or Bintulu.
“Due to the current weather situation the work may take some time,” he added.
In SIBU, a Sibu Division Public Works Department engineer, Vincent Tan, said he was informed of the landslide at about 2pm.
“I was told it occurred at the 130km stretch from Sibu to Bintulu immediately after the Sungai Arip bridge,” he said.
“We hope to make the road passable again in a few hours time and to clear all the soil and other debris within 24 hours,” Tan said.
He advised motorists travelling along the road to be very careful when approaching the affected area. — Bernama
