Debris may have little value
Tonnes of logs stuck at Ranau river either too small or rotting
Tonnes of timber debris washed down the slopes of Mount Kinabalu by a mudslide are likely to have very little commercial value.
Sabah Forestry Department director Datuk Sam Mannan said his officers would, however, be inspecting the debris once all were removed from Sungai Liwagu at the Ranau water treatment intake point.
“From photos we have seen, most of the debris comprise branches and trees with small trunks,” he said.
Mannan said the slightly larger logs appeared not to have any bark, indicating they had been felled a long time ago for land clearing and were likely to be rotting.
He said video clips of the mudslides on June 15 also showed trees along riverbanks at Mesilau being swept into Sungai Liwagu.
Ranau district officer Faimin Kamin said the timber debris which were moved to the disused air field would be made available to handicraft makers.
However, the debris would first be analysed by Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry and Forestry Department officials.
Ranau Water Department engineer Anthony Jullah said the 130m debris pile would take another two weeks to clear as the amount was larger than initially anticipated.
He said they thought the debris was only on the surface of the river but the cleanup work showed that it was about 7m deep.
Anthony said the prevailing good weather in Ranau had enabled the debris clearing work to proceed smoothly.
The blockages on both water intake points came about a week after the quake that hit Mount Kinabalu after heavy rains on June 14 brought loosened soil and boulders down the mountain.