24 schools in Beaufort, Tenom closed due to floods
KOTA KINABALU: Twenty-four schools including a secondary school in Beaufort and Tenom have been ordered to close due to floods following continuous rain since Monday.
Sabah Education director Datuk Dr Mistirine Radin said the temporary closure of the school involved a total of 474 teachers and 4,526 students from the two districts.
She said a total of 17 schools were temporarily closed in Beaufort, namely Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) St Paul, national-type Chinese school (SJKC) Lian Hwa, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Lago, SK Pekan Membakut, SK Bangkalalak.
“Also closed are SK Kabajang, SK Batu 60, SK Batandok, SK St John, SK St Paul, SK Luagan, SK Klias Baru, SK Garama, SK Mempagar, SK Biah Batu 65, SK Suasa, SK Lupak, involving 361 teachers and 3,656 students,” she said in a statement yesterday.
In Tenom, she said, seven schools have been closed today, namely SK Gumisi, SK Ladang Sapong, SJKC Yuk Syn, SJKC Pada, SK Inubai and SK Sumambu.
Meanwhile, SK Mandalom was closed to be used as a temporary evacuation centre to house flood victims from the nearby villages.
“The temporary closure of schools in the district involves a total of 113 teachers and 870 students,” she said.
On Tuesday, the Sabah Disaster Management Committee said that a total of 49 villages in Beaufort and Tenom were affected by the floods due to continuous heavy rain since Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, a statement from the State Disaster Management Secretariat yesterday said 2,066 flood victims are currently taking shelter at 21 temporary flood relief centres in Tenom and Beaufort.
It said Tenom recorded the highest number of flood victims with 1,860 from 737 families, while Beaufort recorded 206 from 57 families.
Many villages have been badly affected by the flood since Monday.
Among the villages affected were Kampung Kuala Tomani, Kg Kalibatang Lama, Kg Kalamatoi, Kg Barung, Kg Saga Laut, Kg Lalandang, Kg Ponontomon, Kg Labut 1, Kg Pantongan Saga, Kg Tumantalik, Kg Mandalom Lama, Kg Pantongan Sapong and Kg Kanar in Tenom.
Villages in Beaufort affected by the flood were Kg Batu 58, Kg Batu 60, Kg Batu 65, Kg Jempangah, Kg Binunuk, Kg Balibata, SESB quarters, Beaufort Railway quarters, Kg Melati, Kg Lumatai, Kg Kitalabak Lumatai, Chan Furniture road junction, Kg Bakalau, Kg Bingkul, Kg Luagan Sanginan, Kg Laboi, Kg Melalugus, Kg Mempagar, Kg Limbawang, Kg Lajau, Kg Lubak, Kg Batandok Lubak, Kg Poring Lupak, Kg Lupak. Kg Tuhu, Kg Lupak Seberang, Kg Sungkadan, Kg Beringin, Kg Lago, Kg Suasa, Kg Kukup, Kg Jabang, Kg Pintas, Kg Mapait, Kg Labi and Kg Gadong.