Floods return, 300 evacuated
KOTA KINABALU: More than 300 people from several villages in Sipitang, Tenom and Beaufort had to be evacuated from their homes due to floods.
According to the Fire and Rescue Services Department, 177 were from five villages in Sipitang and 129 were from four villages in Tenom and Beaufort.
As of 5.30pm, Kampung Naluyan, Kampung Mesapol Lama, Kampung Babangkong, Kampung Mesapol, Kampung Sungai Tiga, Kampung Kesili and Kampung Kalamauh were flooded and all roads to the villages were not passable by small vehicles.
Those evacuated are now staying in the Sipitang multi-purpose hall and the surau of Kampung Sungai Tiga. The 54 families evacuated comprised 88 adults, 60 children, 11 babies, 15 elderly folks and a person with disability.
Evacuation started early in the morning by the Sipitang Fire and Rescue Service Department personnel who used three aluminium boats, a lorry and two four wheel drive vehicles. They were assisted by the police, Civil Defence Force, Red Crescent, state Welfare Department and KBSS volunteers.
In Beaufort, Kampung Binunuk, Kampung Balibata, Kampung Bakalau, Kampung Bukau were flooded and Kampung Pantungan and Kampung Ponontomon in Tenom suffered the same fate.
No evacuation was done in Beaufort while in Tenom, the district Fire and Rescue Service Department helped to relocate an elderly man to the evacuation centre in Pusat Kebudayaan Labut. The other villagers moved to the evacuation centre themselves.