1,424 moved out; 35 schools closed
Published on: Thursday, January 22, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Some 1,424 people had to be evacuated to relief centres after flash floods hit 59 villages in low-lying areas in Beaufort, Sipitang, Tenom and Membakut, Wednesday. State Education Department Director Datuk Jame Alip said 35 schools involving more than 6,000 students and teachers in Beaufort, Sipitang and Papar were shut.The schools were closed not only because they came under water but also because the roads heading to the schools were impassable to vehicles.
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"Students in these schools would have to attend replacement classes which would be held on Saturdays," he said. On Tuesday, 15 schools including four in Tenom and one in Papar were closed due to flash floods.Elsewhere, the main jetty near the Sipitang Customs Department Office collapsed following swift-flowing currents in Sungai Sipitang. According to a Customs personnel, the jetty collapsed at about 4am on Wednesday, but nobody was hurt. Built in 2000 it is the main jetty for passenger boats from Sipitang to Labuan. Passenger boat operators said tickets to Labuan are still sold at the Customs Department office with the second jetty located in Kg Tg Pagar used temporarily.
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State Civil Defence Department Director Lt Col Mulliadi Al-Hamdi said as at 4pm, eight relief centres were opened – five in Tenom, two in Membakut and one each in Beaufort and Sipitang. In Beaufort, 28 villages in the Lumadan and Klias areas were affected, with a total of 243 families comprising 706 people taking shelter at the Dewan DSP Hj. Mohd Dun.
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Eight roads were also closed, namely in front of the Shell kiosk, Kg Melalugus, Jalan Jempangan St John, Jalan Lawa, Jalan Bukau, Jalan Luagan, Jalan Limbawang and Jalan Lintas Pekan.The flood victims comprised 122 men, 225 women, 172 boys, 130 girls, 29 baby boys, 17 baby girls, ten elderly and one disabled man. In Membakut, flash floods hit 11 villages with 109 families comprising 324 people forced to evacuate to the Membakut Multipurpose Hall. The victims comprised 57 men, 97 women, 74 boys, 73 girls, five baby boys, three baby girls and 15 elderly. In Tenom, 75 families comprising 262 people were evacuated to five relief centres, namely Dewan Antanom, Naluyan Cultural House, Pantongan Saga Cultural House, Ponontomon Cultural House and Labut-Labut Open Hall.As at 5pm, victims in Dewan Antanom and Naluyan Cultural House were allowed to return home after water levels started to recede. Flood Disaster Management Committee Chairman Madiyem Layappan, who is Tenom District Officer, was optimistic the situation will get better after water level started to recede from 177.75m to 177.90m at about 10am. In Sipitang, 15 villages were hit affecting 13 families comprising 132 people. The flood victims were relocated to the relief centre at the Sipitang Multi-purpose Hall between 12.30pm and 3.44pm. It was learnt 11 families were from Kg. Naluyan and two were from Kg. Mesapol Lama, comprising 24 adults and 31 children. A 63-year-old flood victim Ahmad Kuman from Kg. Mesapol Lama said the water started to rise at about 11pm after non-stop rain since Tuesday. Several low-lying areas recorded six-feet deep waters. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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