KOTA KINABALU, Dec 23 — A total of 25 people, stranded in Kampung Melangkap Baru, Kota Belud, following flash floods were rescued today.
Sabah Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director Misran Bisara said they were alerted to the incident at 6.28pm yesterday.
He said the victims were stranded after the road heading to the village was flooded and impassable.
“The operation to help the victims out of the flooded area was carried out at 6am today. All the victims were temporarily housed in a nearby homestay and some of them were picked up by their relatives.
“The floodwater has receded but six vehicles used by the victims remained trapped in the area. The operation ended at 8am,” Misran said when contacted by reporters today.
In separate incidents, he said two wooden stilt houses in the Kota Kinabalu and Pitas districts collapsed following bad weather and rough seas yesterday.
In Kota Kinabalu, Misran said the department received a report at 7.35pm that a stilt house and a bridge in Kampung Tanjung Aru Baru collapsed after being hit by high waves and strong winds.
“Two occupants managed to get out of the house safely. The firefighters are monitoring the area and the residents in the area have been advised to evacuate their homes for safety reasons,” he added.
Misran said another incident involved a stilt house in Kampung Salimpodon Laut, Pitas.
However, he said the occupants of the house managed to escape and no casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, the Kota Kinabalu District Disaster Management Committee, in a statement, said about 273 people from 32 families living in the Kampung Tanjung Aru Baru water village had not yet moved.
“As of this morning, only eight people from one family are at a relief centre at a Balai Raya here, while the other residents are staying at their relatives’ homes,” it said.
The committee said food supplies had been distributed to the affected residents while other assistance would be provided after conducting an assessment of the incidents.
— Bernama
