WORK on a temporary access route to reconnect about 200 villagers in Nabawan who have been stranded for days after a landslide destroyed the only road linking their settlement to the outside world is underway.
Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, who is also the state Works Minister, said the bridge that was swept away at Jalan Bonor Bagaraan was previously made of wood and will be replaced with a modular steel structure ordered from Kuala Lumpur.
“I received information from the Sabah Public Works Department director early this morning regarding the landslide incident and a collapsed bridge at Jalan Bonor Bagaraan in Nabawan.
“One of the incidents involved a collapsed bridge that was previously made from wooden structures.
“It will now be replaced with a modular steel bridge that needs to be ordered from Kuala Lumpur, and it is expected to arrive at the site around April,” he said when met a road safety function near Kota Kinabalu.
He added that an alternative access is being worked on in the meantime to ensure the stranded villagers can safely move in and out of the area.
“While waiting, temporary works are being carried out by the PWD and its contractor to for a temporary route.”
Shahelmey also confirmed another landslide occurred nearby and affected travel in the area.
“There was another landslide in the area which also disrupted travel. The PWD is currently assessing how to manage that incident.
“I was informed that repair works will begin on March 24 or 25. We hope residents there will remain cautious when using the road.”
The affected area is located in a remote part of Sabah’s interior and is sparsely populated, which may explain the delay in official reports surfacing.
Earlier, about 200 villagers, including students and teachers, were cut off after the landslide and washed-out bridge severed the only access route to their village. - March 24, 2025
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