PITAS – Food baskets were sent by a Royal Malaysia Air Force helicopter for some 4,000 stranded villagers near here today.
Thirteen villages here have been disconnected from the main road for five days after the Suang Duyung-Layak road and the Paparoun Telaga Bridge here collapsed following massive floods in the area over the past few days.
State Community Development and People’s Well-being Minister Shahelmey Yahya said the state Disaster Operation Control sent the assistance today, and he will visit Pitas to inspect the situation tomorrow.
“I was told that the armed forces helicopter made three trips to the disconnected areas to deliver food assistance,” he said.
Yesterday, The Vibes had reported that an affected villager, Allyson Matibin, had desperately urged the authorities for help as villagers were in fear that their food supply would run out.
He had told The Vibes that his village has yet to receive any food assistance, but saw the helicopter making four trips, with three villages receiving their share so far.
“We hope that Kg Liu and all other villages will also get our assistance soon. We have been rationing our food as we do not know when we will be able to leave the village.
“However, the food assistance could last us temporarily, but what we really need is for the road and bridge to be fixed as soon as possible. What are we going to do if someone needs medical attention and needs to be sent to hospital? How are we going to get medical treatment?”
Matibin added that, although the flood situation in the areas has subsided, villagers still do not have clean water supply as the main pipe connecting to the villages is broken.
“We are also facing frequent electricity disruption, and poor phone connection. The villagers also cannot get supplies of other essentials, such as infant formula.
“I can only say, we are in survival mode now.”
Meanwhile, the state Public Works Department said it will use its emergency funds to repair the bridge and road, and work will commence soon.
Its director, Ali Ahmad Hamid, said that the collapsed bridge is 18m from the 13 villages, while the damaged Suang Duyung-Layak road is some 50km from Pitas town.
He said the department has submitted a detailed report regarding the repair works to state Works Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, and the department has been ordered to start the repair works as soon as possible. – The Vibes, January 15, 2021
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