Food, essentials airlifted to cut-off Pitas villages

 

Sabah Community Development and People’s Well-Being Minister Shahelmey Yahya (third left) visiting Kampung Gumpa Liu - one of the cut-off villages in Pitas - to monitor the distribution of food relief, on. Saturday. - NSTP/ courtesy of NSTP reader

KOTA KINABALU: Relief in the form of food and essentials have been air-lifted to Pitas flood victims.

The villagers were not only cut-off but had been trapped for several days after roads and bridge leading to their 13 villages in the district either collapsed or were damaged from the inundation.

A police helicopter was utilised to send much needed essential supplies to several cut-off villages since Friday.

Sabah Community Development and People's Well-Being Minister Shahelmey Yahya visited Kampung Gumpa Liu today, one of the cut-off villages to monitor the distribution of food aid.

The Ministry, he said, would be arranging more food to be channelled to affected villagers as soon as possible.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, in a statement, said the state government had taken note of the flood disaster hitting six districts in the state.

Apart from Pitas, floods also inundated Kota Marudu, Beaufort, Lahad Datu, Paitan, and Kudat.

Many villages in the districts were submerged, prompting the evacuation of over 1,000 people to nearby relief centres since last week.

"The government through the Public Welfare Services Department and National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) has provided cooked meals for evacuees and channelled food basket worth RM200 to each affected household.

"NADMA has also distributed RM500 financial aid to each affected household. This was coordinated by the Civil Defence Force and district office," said Hajiji.

In facing flood disaster amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the state government reminded all parties to take the necessary precautionary measures and continue to comply with the standard operating procedures to avoid being infected by the virus.

The latest update from state authorities sees evacuees housed at temporary relief centres reduced to 183 people as of 1pm today after many residents returned home as the flood situation improved.

Districts that still continue to house evacuees are Pitas (104 evacuees); Beaufort (6); and Paitan (73).

Although floodwaters at some areas have receded, villagers have been told to remain alert as heavy rain has been forecast until Jan 18.

According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, heavy rain is expected to occur over the Sipitang, Tenom, Kuala Penyu, Beaufort, Keningau, Tambunan, Kudat, Telupid, Beluran and Sandakan. - NST