BEAUFORT: Beaufort and Sipitang have been declared disaster areas following severe flooding that forced many residents to evacuate.
The declarations were made by Beaufort District Officer Mohd Nazri and Sipitang counterpart Abd Karim AM Azahari.
In Beaufort, 115 people from 37 families have been relocated to the Selagon Temporary Evacuation Centre. The evacuees include 23 men, 40 women, 25 boys, 23 girls, a disabled man, two infants and 12 elderly.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});Most victims are from Kg Suasa and Bangkalalak areas. Impacted residents in Sipitang have been relocated to the Temporary Evacuation Centre in SK Padang Berempah, though the exact figure were unavailable as officials could not be reached for comment.
Civil Defence Force Officer Hazlee Shah Abd Hamid said continuous heavy rain since May 1 across the Keningau Zone (Tenom, Nabawan, Keningau and Sook) and the Beaufort Zone (Beaufort and Sipitang) caused the Padas River water level to rise drastically. “Civil Defence Force personnel have been monitoring flood-affected villages including Kg Batu 60, Binunuk, Balibata, Bakalau, Bingkul, Gumarit, Lago, Suasa, Koundo, Kangsa, Berumbai and Bangkalalak,” he said.
The Department of Irrigation and Drainage reported that water levels had reached 9.92 meters by 10am, exceeding the danger level of 8.70 meters.
“The district is synonymous with flooding. We urge residents in low-lying areas to remain vigilant and be prepared for evacuation,” Hazlee said. District Police Chief Supt Wong Leong Meng told Daily Express on Sunday that floodwaters have surpassed dangerous levels.
“The Pekan Lama Beaufort area has been inundated, affecting areas from Kg Cina, the post office, railway station, Petron kiosk, Shell kiosk and the stretch towards the roundabout,” he said.
Fire and Rescue Station Chief Ishak Jabas said floodwaters have impacted Kg Batu 60 through to Kg Bekalau, Bingkul, Suasa, Lago and Kangsa, with roads also submerged.
Several schools have been impacted, including SK Suasa, SJK Kong Ming, SM St. John, SM St. Paul’s and SMJK Cina.
Flooding has also hit the Bukau and Lumadan areas, though no evacuations have been necessary there.
“Villages upstream of the river will experience increased flooding as water flows downstream to areas like Kampung Suasa and surrounding villages near Padas River,” Ishak said.
This is the eighth flood since March, though officials are uncertain whether the Pekan Lama area would be completely affected.
Ishak advised residents to exercise caution when wading through floodwaters or approaching rescue boats.
“Do not let children play in floodwaters and keep important documents in waterproof containers,” he said.
He also reminded residents to heed instructions from rescue teams regarding evacuations.
“We advise the community to stay updated on flood information and water level. Be prepared to evacuate when necessary, either on your own initiative or when instructed by authorities,” he said.
Additionally, he cautioned against refusing evacuation offers, noting that rescue teams might require substantial time to return for those who initially decline assistance.
Police, Fire and Rescue and Civil Defence teams are currently busy deploying logistics to relocate victims.
Meanwhile, Kampung Brunei Membakut has also experienced flooding since Saturday due to overflow from the Membakut River, according to Village Chief Mohd Tali Ismail.
“The situation remains under control. Houses on stilts are safe from flooding, but ground-level homes have been affected,” he said.
In Sipitang, the Meligan River has also flooded, making it impassable to vehicles, according to resident Jenifer Opai.
“As a solution, the government needs to build a higher bridge to prevent flooding and facilitate vehicle passage,” she said, adding that residents are using an adjacent suspension bridge for their activities.