KOTA KINABALU – Monsoon rains have wreaked havoc in Sabah’s west coast, causing flash floods, landslides and collapsed roads in many areas, and disrupting electricity supply to more than 20,000 families since Thursday.
Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) senior general manager (asset management) Idris Mohd Noor in a statement today said the company received 3,000 complaints via its careline after having to cut supply to several areas as a safety precaution due to power poles being damaged by the floods.
“SESB has been carrying out repairs in stages since Thursday, and we are prioritising faulty poles and damaged wires.
“However, there are some areas where the substation is inundated. We will resume repairs after the waters recede.”
The affected areas are Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Papar, Beaufort, Sipitang, Bongawan and Penampang, he said.
Idris advised the public not to go near SESB infrastructure, such as wires and power poles, for their own safety.
5 hospital buildings vacated
Five buildings are deemed at risk at Queen Elizabeth Hospital here after a nearby landslide destroyed a Health Ministry medicine storage facility last night. The hospital buildings have been vacated as a safety measure.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the buildings are in the hospital’s C Complex, namely the medicine and consumables store, chronic treatment ward, rehabilitation ward, tuberculosis clinic and sleep lab.
He said the landslide, measuring some 20m wide, caused structural damage to the sleep lab and hospital support services store.
No casualties were reported.
“The hospital has cordoned off the landslide area, and the site is covered with canvas. Several measures will be taken, including immediate repairs by the Public Works Department (PWD) and special welfare assistance for employees affected by the incident,” said Khairy on Facebook.
“I will go to Kota Kinabalu on Monday to see the situation there myself, and hold further discussions with the state government to detail further action that needs to be taken.”
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said immediate action will be taken by the state PWD to repair roads hit by landslides and floods in several districts, especially Keningau, following continuous rain since Thursday.
Bung Moktar, who is also state works minister, said most of the paved roads affected are under the jurisdiction of concessionaires appointed by the government, and they have been ordered to begin repair works immediately.
He said the Kota Kinabalu-Keningau route (CH103 and CH107) is a federal road under the concession of Lintasan Resources Sdn Bhd, and the company is currently carrying out repairs.
“An alternative road has also been prepared for motorists,” he said in a statement today.
Bung Moktar said he has received many complaints on road damage following the flooding, particularly involving roads in the Pan Borneo Highway project.
State Community Development and People’s Well-being Minister Shahelmey Yahya told reporters at Queen Elizabeth Hospital today that all safety measures have been taken to ensure no recurrence of the landslide incident.
Local authorities have been asked to ensure all drains and rivers in the state are in good condition so that the floods do not worsen, he said.
“We are experiencing the effects of climate change with more intense rain, causing flash floods in many areas. The maintenance of rivers and waterways is important, so that run-off is channelled properly.
“However, the rainfall intensity this time is very severe, worse than in previous years, causing flooding in many areas in the state. I hope that local authorities conduct regular maintenance work on drains and rivers to ensure an efficient irrigation system.”
He added that hospitals in the state are planning to convert wards to accommodate Covid-19 patients.
Penampang MP Datuk Darell Leiking in a statement urged the Sabah government to expedite the Moyog flood-mitigation project on the heels of flooding in the district, Kota Kinabalu and Putatan, and called for allocation to mitigate hillside erosion after landslides in Penampang and Kota Kinabalu following yesterday’s downpour.
He said he believes that the continuous flooding is caused by the delay in completing the Petagas river basin package, another mitigation project.
A landslide hit Kg Kopungit here, near Queen Elizabeth Hospital, last night.
No one was harmed, but the incident saw two cars and one motorcycle parked in the area buried under earth, and destroyed a Health Ministry medical storage facility.
Villagers have been urged to evacuate for their safety.
Several roads have been cut off due to floods and landslides around Kota Kinabalu district, including Bukit Padang here yesterday evening, resulting in many motorists stranded in their vehicles overnight.
Several districts in the state’s west coast have suffered floods due to downpours since Wednesday. – The Vibes, September 4, 2021
