Firemen use highline rope to deliver food to flood victims

 

Members of the fire and rescue department and police team deliver food to villagers stranded at Kampung Perancangan, Sabah, last night. (Sabah fire and rescue department pic)

RANAU: The fire and rescue department had to use a highline rope to deliver food to flood victims trapped in Kampung Perancangan, Sabah, last night.

A department operations spokesman said it received a call for help just before 1pm.

The spokesman said the rescue operations were hampered by strong river currents but the team managed to deliver food to the victims using the highline rope system at 10.40pm.

The operation was called off at 11pm and was scheduled to resume early this morning.

Meanwhile, the number of flood victims in Sabah continued to rise with 1,862 people from 599 families evacuated to the relief centres as of 8pm yesterday.

Twenty temporary relief centres have been opened in six districts – 11 in Kota Marudu, three each in Paitan and Telupid, and one each in Pitas, Beluran and Sandakan.

The flooded districts include Kota Marudu, Paitan, Telupid, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Ranau, Kinabatangan and Lahad Datu. - FMT