KOTA KINABALU: Continuous heavy rains flooded more areas in the west coast of Sabah yesterday, damaged infrastructure, stranded pupils in schools and caused a landslip.
State Education Department director Datuk Maimunah Suhaibul said 22 pupils were stranded at flood-hit SK Darau. They were later picked up by their parents and returned home around 9pm.
She also disclosed that as of 9pm, SK Darau, SK Rampayan, SK Gudon, SK Kitobu, all in Menggatal; SMK Taman Tun Fuad, SK Sugud in Penampang; SK Lapoting and SK Rungus in Tuaran and SJKC Chung Hwa in Tenghilan were still flooded.
The Kota Kinabalu City Hall’s natural disaster operations room reported that 10 roads around the city were flooded as of 8pm and landslips were reported near Karamunsin and at the road leading to SK Poring Poring in Inanam. A bridge at Kampung Keronggou in Inanam had also collapsed.
An Indonesian woman was killed when the van she was travelling in was swept away by flood waters at Kampung Lingan Lama in Papar on Sunday. Nine Japanese tourists in the van aged between eight and 22, were injured.
This was the third consecutive day of heavy rains which brought flash floods to Kota Kinabalu and outlying areas as well as places which have never been flooded before.
Poorly maintained drainage systems have been blamed for the problem which has angered the people.
Meteorological Department director Azemi Daud said rain could be expected for the next seven days in the morning particularly at Sabah’s west coast and in Kudat.
Towards evening and night, rain and thunderstorms are expected to occur in the west coast, rural and Kudat, he said.
Azemi said the current weather pattern was normal because of the west coast monsoon that was occurring in Sabah presently.
He added the wet weather was the result of the meeting between the west and east winds that occur often in Sabah.
Meanwhile, Penampang District Officer Luvita Koisun yesterday called for an emergency meeting to discuss the flooding problem in the district.
The meeting yesterday afternoon was attended by councillors, District Council officers, relevant government departments like the Drainage and Irrigation Department, Public Works Department, Water Department and Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders.
BN Penampang chairman Datuk Donald Mojuntin when contacted about the flooding issue, said that the water level at Moyog’s upriver was quite high and a cause for concern.
He said flash floods were occurring in the usual areas, adding the district’s natural disaster operation room had been activated and those requiring assistance or information can call 088-722 584/088-711 002.
MCA Penampang chief Datuk Francis Goh who was also at the meeting, suggested to Luvita to have a fund to mitigate the problem of hill slope landslides.
He said the operation room must be activated too for the people in Penampang to get the latest information about the flood situation and diversion of traffic.