SANDAKAN – Senior citizens and children from 12 families in Kg Tinusa 2, Mile 7 must now risk walking on treacherous wooden planks after a concrete bridge here collapsed due to floods on Wednesday.
After the collapse, men from the village removed the broken concrete bridge yesterday and replaced it with several wooden planks.
The collapse occurred after two continuous nights of high tide lashing against the bridge.
With the collapse, the 12 families were cut off from the mainland.
One of the villagers, Sanati Mohammad, said the makeshift bridge posed a danger, but many of the residents have no choice but to use it.
The mother of five told The Vibes that there are children and elderly folk among the 12 families who have to risk walking across the wooden planks, which could give way under their feet at any moment.
She said she hopes the authority will take immediate action to rebuild the bridge.
Meanwhile, Sg Sibuga assemblyman Hamsan Awang Supain, who is also assistant housing and local government minister, said he is aware of the situation and will act on it.
“I have asked the Sandakan Municipal Council to submit an estimated cost to rebuild the bridge, and I will request this allocation from the state and federal government.
“For the time being, we will fix the bridge to ensure that the villagers are connected to the main road,” he said. – The Vibes, January 15, 2021
