Mt Kinabalu re-opens to climbers after quake tragedy

A group of 135 trekkers climbed the peak of Mount Kinabalu in Borneo today, as it was officially re-opened nearly six months after an earthquake that claimed the lives of 18 climbers.

Sabah state Tourism Minister Masidi Manjun sent the climbers off on the newly-opened Ranau Trail leading to the 4,096-metre peak.

Climbing activities were prohibited after the 5.9-magnitude quake in June that dislodged boulders at the peak, which rolled over and pinned down the victims, including Singaporean students.

The mountain and its vicinity are considered as among the most important biological sites in the world, with about 6,000 species of plants, 326 species of birds, and more than 100 mammalian species.

An estimated 20,000 people attempt to climb the mountain each year, according to the Sabah Tourism Ministry.

- dpa