Landslide: Six rescued near Tenom dam
Published on: Wednesday, November 02, 2022
By:
Johan Aziz, Ibrahim Tabir, Jinius Pandakin
One of the areas near the Tenom dam hit by landslide.
Tenom: Fire and Rescue personnel rescued six workers who were trapped in a landslide near the Pangi hydroelectric dam, Tuesday. The six, including an auxiliary policeman, were aged 29-59 and reported to be in safe condition.The incident occurred in the Power House area 5km from the main fence of the building. The District Fire and Rescue Station received a call at 8.30am and nine firemen led by Mohamad Herryzan Epui Ridzuan rushed to the location 9km away with machinery.
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The main fence which formed part of the building was buried along with several vehicles and motorcycles.
Landslides were also reported in Ranau due to continuous rain besides floods in other districts affecting road connectivity and damage to property.
Landslides on the Kota Kinabalu-Keningau-Tenom road caused road users in the area to be cut off temporarily. It is now passable after the concessionaire carried out works. Lintasan Resources Sdn Bhd said the landslide occurred at 2.39am.
The road was passable to vehicles at around 11am Tuesday. Landslides also occurred at four places on the railway track from Rayoh station causing people living in the area to be cut off from Tenom town.
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Former Village Head of Kg Rayoh, Sitong Kainsor, said the area was also flooded due to the heavy rain which continued from 3pm on Monday until 6am on Tuesday.
Sitong said the incident also made it difficult for 200 residents to go out to Tenom town to buy daily necessities.
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“Villagers living near the railway track hoped the government will act to resolve the matter,” he said, adding the villagers also requested the government to find other ways such as a road to facilitate daily life for the villagers living in Kg Rayoh and Pangi.
He said landslides in the Rayoh area had happened repeatedly made it difficult for the villagers to carry out their daily activities, especially going to the town, hospital and school.
There is talk that SK Pangi would have to be closed due to the railway track being the main route for students and teachers to go to school. In addition, the teachers who teach at this school (SK Pangi) live in Tenom town. He also said landslide made it difficult for the residents to go to the hospital located in town to get treatment.
The trapped victims being rescued in Sipitang
In Sipitang, a family in Kg Ranau-Ranau experienced anxious moments when torrential flood waters submerged the lower half of one Saran Labo’s home, early Tuesday.
Water levels were estimated to reach a depth of nine feet. Saran, 65, when contacted by Daily Express was in a state of distraught. She was crying on the phone while waiting for the help of district Fire and Rescue Department.
“Our 600 gallon water tank was washed away and 40 chickens inside a coop drowned,” she choked.
According to Fire Supervisor PBK II Stefanus Lolon when contacted, the Tenom Fire Department received six emergency calls namely from Melalia, Naluyan, Luagan, Pantai and Ranau Ranau villages.
“A 4WD and one rescue boat was mobilised to rescue 53 affected villagers,” he said.
Six fireman under his lead were deployed in the operations. Flood waters began to recede at 11am.
In KUNAK, the Kunak Disaster Operations Control Centre (PKOB) has been activated to face the possibility of disasters.
District disaster committee chairman who is also the District Officer, Awang Mohd Yusoff, said following the wet weather during the northeast monsoon, those especially living in risk areas such as riverside, sea or high slopes were advised to be vigilant and obey every instruction from authorities.
“At the same time, the agencies involved under PKOB are always on standby. The District Disaster Management carried out monitoring before in the risk areas” he said after inspecting the Temporary Transfer Centre (PPS) of Dewan Kg Airport that housed flood victims last Monday.
Until Monday afternoon, 66 flood victims were placed in the PPS involving 13 heads of households.
Kunak Civil Defence Force (APM) Officer, Sarinah Nawir said the APM identified six hotspot areas that are at risk of flooding in the district.
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