Worst floods in 15 years – residents

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PENAMPANG: The iconic ‘Sigah’ roundabout in Penampang which has been embedded in the minds of many as the bastion of the Kadazan ethnic tribe became a symbol of something less dignifying yesterday – the worst floods in 15 years.

Photos of the roundabout with the giant relica of the Kadazan traditional headgear at Donggongon township showing inundated surroundings, including villages and roads, went viral in social media network yesterday.

They include an aerial view image of the ‘sigah’ roundabout which had gained more than 400 ‘shares’ as at 5pm yesterday.

The Sigah roundabout was one of the many areas affected by one of the worst floods in the state yesterday, after three days of incessant rain.

At about 12pm yesterday, a visit to the Sigah roundabout found that vehicles coming from the direction of the city centre only managed to get to as close as 50 metres to the roundabout, while the rest of the road leading to most of the surrounding villages were inaccessible even by four-wheel-drive vehicles, as the water level kept rising with strong currents.

Some of the residents of the surrounding villages tried braving strong currents of the flood which had risen to waist level by then, to make their way home by foot, parking their vehicles on higher grounds closer to the nearby Donggongon town.

However, most of them were seen rescued by fire and rescue personnel who transported them to higher ground, presumably after their journey on foot came to a point where it was no longer safe for them to continue.

Some of the residents met yesterday disclosed that the flood was ‘the worst in 15 years.’

“Our family had been residing here for generations. The last big flood here was in 1999. This is the worst ever since,” said a brother who was trying to get his younger sisters home after school, when met at the roundabout yesterday.

Many others who resided in the area, gave the same replies when asked.

The residents also claimed that water from the Babagon Dam had been released as the dam itself had overflowed coupled with the incessant heavy rain for the past three days, worsening the flood situation.