25 campers rescued from riverside campsite in Kota Belud

Sabah Fire and Rescue department personnel rescuing 25 holiday goers at Polumpung. - Pic courtesy of Sabah Fire and Rescue department.

KOTA KINABALU: A group of holiday makers were rescued from a popular riverside campsite, spending a night with fire fighters who were dispatched to get them to safety.

All 25 of the stranded victims, five males and 20 females, including children, were safely carried across the river from the Polumpung Recreation Centre at Kampung Melangkap Baru in Kota Belud by 7.30am.

The group were trapped at the campsite as the river swelled yesterday from about 6pm, prompting a call to the Fire and Rescue department about half an hour later.

Nine firefighters were dispatched to the location, led by Muhammad Syazwan Latun.

Reportedly, the road leading up to the centre were also impassable as heavy rains persisted, a spokesman for the department said, adding that the duty personnel kept the victims company until the early hours.

By 6am, the fire fighters began carrying and escorting the victims across the river to safe grounds by "rescue-hauling" each of them using a rope line.

A total of six vehicles used by the campers were left by the riverside in the rescue process, the spokesman said.

Since yesterday strong winds and heavy rains lashed the west coast and north of Sabah, leaving a trail of devastation in several coastal districts. - NST