Hi folks, yes I know I have not update this for a while and sorry for that because I had lots of other news to follow up for the printed media.
Anyway, after the first two floods in October 7th and 10th, I went down below the bridge because the mud at the river bank was reasonably dry to walk on. I wanted to find out if the works on the bridge did contribute to the higher flood levels.
In my opinion, it did as the photos below will prove, but most of them are temporary works and a JKR site supervisor I met did confirm to me that the bosses above scold them and the contractors for leaving the temporary works in the river, or maybe the works were rather slow. Of course afterwards all the rocks and earthworks were removed using the excavator and now the river bed is cleared of those rocks and the red earth for temporary access was partially removed.
This is probably the reason that the 3rd flood that occurred on 23rd November was quite low and receded very fast.
Anyway after I had taken the photos below, as I was walking back to my car, some stupid mad dog bit my legs at the ankle by surprise. The stupid dog simply came behind me without any sound so I was not aware such dog was around. There were two bite marks on both sides of my right foot and it was bleeding. So I swore at the dog owner and threatened to make a police report. He apologised saying the dog got loose from whatever, and offered to take me to the hospital, which I refused because I was in a hurry to interview my new friend Mr James L.
I told the guy I am going to see my doctor friend at Donggongon to get immediate treatment. So I quickly drove in my car in he followed behind in his car. After reaching the clinic at Donggongon, I got attended to quite fast because there was only one other patient waiting.
Dr Freddy assured me there is no known rabies here in Penampang, and just some wound treatment and anti-tetanus jab did the job very well. I did not feel any pain and the bite would simply closed up and healed. Lucky me eh?
Well, the dog owner footed the medical bill, shook hands with him and said I am in a hurry to go for the interview.
Oh well, here are the pics.
Below the bridge, the temporary earth and stones there for access of excavator under the bridge did constrict the flow of flood water.
The RH bank still have earth spills that may or may not be cleared after the works are completed. If they are not cleared, I will submit the complaint to Daily Express.
The earthworks being cleared. Definitely this contributed to higher flood levels.
Below the new bridge, you can see gabion wires and the sheet piles. Those are temporary works as part of the methodology to install the heavy prestressed concrete beams across the river.
Another view of the old bridge, which clearly shows the river has narrowed here due to deposition of old sediment. The old siltation sometimes collapse during floods as can be seen at the left bank.
Bamboo clumps that collapsed from the bank and fell to the bottom of the river also caused blockages and obstructions to the flow of the river. No doubt these are the main cause of high flood levels.
The beams are still waiting to be installed because I am told the contractor's big cranes are still being used in another project, so there is some delay on the works for this project
The stone filling here a temporary work as firm ground to install the beams above. Lot of people including myself were mistaken that this would be the road approach to the bridge. No man, this filling will be dug out and the river bank re-instated to its original slope once the long beams are installed and other short beams will be placed between those two concrete pile caps.
FINALLY, the bambangan tree is DYING, just as I predicted.
After bearing its final bunches of fruits, the leaves are not green anymore, well what colour is that eh? That is the colour of a dying tree.
Reason, the roots cannot breath and not getting oxygen and water after being covered with the red clay filling.
Bye bye, now where can I replant a bambangan tree with the RAJA Bambangan seedlings growing inside a polybag at my garden eh??
cheers, that's all for now.
oops, oh no!, I forgot about the great wall of china in Penampang, here goes.
The concrete drain is higher than the existing road by about 1.5meteres. This is because the height of the new bridge will be that higher and the road is going to be filled as a ramp to join the new bridge. But those land properties nearby will really looked ridiculous in future, he he he
I submitted this pic to the newspapers but the editors did not see it as newsworthy.
