1,200 evacuated after severe floods in Sabah

A fireman and other residents helping a senior citizen onto a boat to be transferred to a relief centre in Tenom. (Pic courtesy of Fire and Rescue Department)

KOTA KINABALU: Tenom became the latest district in Sabah to be hit by severe floods, causing almost 1,200 residents to be evacuated from their homes to relief centres in the district today.

As of 8pm today, there are 1,195 people from 370 families placed at 10 shelters in the interior district.

A total of 13 villages have been affected after the three main rivers in the district, namely Sungai Padas, Sungai Pagalan and Sungai Ponontomon, breached their riverbanks.

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said the victims are from villages in the Kemabong and Melalap state constituencies under Tenom.

Meanwhile, the floods are also back in Sabah’s southwest Beaufort district.

Beaufort district officer Jupery Etok said the Selagon temporary relief centre was reopened, after being closed last Dec 14, after water levels rose due to continuous rain since yesterday evening.

“It rained heavily in Beaufort from 3am to 6am today.”

He said although the rain in Membakut sub-district was not as heavy, it still caused the water levels at Sungai Membakut to go over the dangerous level.

Although only four people have been moved to the relief centre, he expected more to be transferred if weather conditions do not improve.

The Civil Defence Force said the water level at Sungai Padas had risen to 8.77m, which is above the dangerous level of 8.7m.

Four villages in Beaufort and another 12 in Membakut are affected.

“We are monitoring the situation and are prepared to move more residents to the relief centre if needed,” said Jupery.- FMT