Some schools forced to ‘extend holidays’ due to flooding

KOTA KINABALU: Some school students here are enjoying an “extended holiday” in the very first week of the new school term, no thanks to worsening floods.

The number of primary schools shut in Sabah increased from two on Tuesday to eight yesterday, although one was allowed to reopen.

State Education Department director Datuk Maimunah Suhaibul said the eight schools included seven in Beaufort and one in Telupid.

Maimunah said the schools would reopen once the access roads are clear of flood waters.

Meanwhile, more than 100 villagers in Membakut were evacuated yesterday.

Sabah Fire and Rescue Department operations chief Khatizah Rahaban said the 118 displaced villagers from five villages were seeking shelter at the Membakut hall.

She said although rain had stopped as of 2pm, the Membakut river had risen to 7.36m and breached the dangerous level.

Four roads in Membakut – Jalan Kg Sinoko, Jalan Kg Baitam, Jalan Kg Lumantak and Jalan Kg Baru – were inaccessible to cars.

In Sarawak, heavy downpour flooded two primary schools in rural Subis in the northern part of the state, causing one of them to be closed yesterday.

Flood water was as high as 0.6m at SK Rumah Essau and SK Beliau, which have 55 pupils and 117 pupils respectively.

SK Rumah Essau cancelled all classes when pupils could not access the road leading to the school due to the flood.

Miri Civil Defence Department chief Capt Mohd Hazle Shah said SK Beliau continued to operate since flood waters were receding.

The department deployed personnel to the school to monitor the situation and to offer immediate assistance if needed, he said.

Meanwhile, over in the peninsula, six schools in two districts in Kelantan with a total enrolment of 1,015 remained closed yesterday due to the floods.

According to Bernama, Kelantan Education Department director Muhammad Zahari Othman said in a statement that the schools were SK Bahagia, SK Ladang Taku and SK Pasir Kelang in Kuala Krai, as well as SK Ladang Kerilla, SK Sokor and SMK Ladang Kerilla in Tanah Merah.