KOTA KINABALU – Rainfall has continued almost uninterrupted since the weekend in many parts of Sabah’s west coast, affecting over 800,000 residents in nine districts.
Although it is no longer as heavy, 225 villages were still hit by floods today. Nonetheless, many residents were able to go to work.
It started raining only about 10.30am in the city here, but other areas in Kota Kinabalu district – as well as Tenom, Papar, Penampang, Putatan, Beaufort, Paitan, Tuaran and Kota Belud – saw landslides and flooding.
The Civil Defence Force reported that the number of evacuees is expected to rise, with the Meteorological Department warning that bad weather will continue until tomorrow.
As at 4pm, there were 716 flood victims at 17 relief centres in the nine districts, with Kota Belud recording the highest number at 108.
Several political parties have gone to the ground to distribute aid to flood-hit Sabahans.
In Beaufort, Umno Youth members handed out masks to flood victims.
The state and federal governments have announced a RM700 cash aid for all affected households.
DAP rep Jannie Lasimbang has warned Penampang folk to brace for continued bad weather in the coming days.
“Yesterday, villages experienced two waves of floods in one day, and have started cleaning up.
“In my Kapayan constituency, various areas, including Kg Peringatan, Kobusak, Tunoh and Hungab, as well as housing areas such as Taman Sahabat, Regency Park and Millennium Heights in Bundusan, were badly flooded,” she said, adding that several areas in Kg Koidupan also saw landslides.
In Kota Belud, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Md Noor said sand dredging will be done in Sg Kuala Abai to make the river deeper, so as to ease the district’s flooding woes.
“We will give the dredging contract to credible and capable local contractors. It will be done as a joint venture with state government-linked companies.”
Speaking to reporters after visiting flood victims at the Dewan Tun Said Keruak shelter here today, he gave an assurance that the state government is also looking at other ways to address flooding in the district.
“We will find the best way.”
He said floods seldom hit Kota Belud until the 2015 Sabah earthquake. – The Vibes, January 18, 2021
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