1st day of 2008

**kuching** · 3rd Jan 2008, 22:36

Southern Sarawak was hit by the storm on the 1st day of year 2008. Some low lying areas are flooded especially Bau & Tondong areas. Luckily the rain stopped before sunrise, else my hometown will be flooded!!!

I cancelled my hiking trip and went to Sematan - Lundu area to see the big waves.

On the way back, I found another illegal logging site. There are a lot of wild orchids growing on the fallen trees which were chopped down by illegal loggers.

As what I have done before, this year, I will continue my journey to photograph the wild flora & fauna (including aquatic) in the jungle of Borneo before it is too late.

Sematan beach:

The sea is rough!

River mouth of sematan river:

Boats:

Sand pipers:

**kuching** · 3rd Jan 2008, 22:52

Flying together.....

A sand piper (most likely is Calidris ferruginea):

Water level of Batang Kayan is extremely HIGH !!!

Riverbank of Sarawak river is flooded! The bamboo in the water:

Boats are prepared in case water level is increased to dangerous level. This shot was taken at 9am. At 4pm, the spot where I took this shot was already flooded.

A river near "legal" logging site. Used to be clearwater river but now it became a muddy river. Rivers in Borneo are getting shallow because large amount of sendiment (mud, sand & soil) being wash down to the river during the heavy downpour. Flood in low lying areas is becoming common since the riverbed is getting shallow caused by Human activities (logging, forest clearing for oil palm & farm land).