PORTAL RASMI
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
KOTA KINABALU: Residents of Kampung Rampayan Laut in Sabah are grappling with the aftermath of the worst flood in over 50 years.
Incessant rain on Saturday evening caused floodwaters to rise rapidly in the village, catching many residents off guard and leaving many homes submerged in waist-high water.
Jalinah Md Jali, 62, said many villagers were unable to save their belongings, unlike in previous flooding incidents. “During normal floods, the water would usually remain outside and did not enter the house.
“This is because the water has to overcome the front door barrier,” she told Bernama while cleaning mud and removing water from her living room.
“On Saturday, the water reached waist height,” Jalinah added. She did not have time to save her valuables and her furniture and electrical items were damaged.
“Initially, everyone thought it would be just a normal flood as the water level was low. “But the floodwaters rose very fast. I am very sad because I have lived here for over 60 years and have never seen a flood this severe,” she added.
Jalinah lamented that Kampung Rampayan Laut is now better known for frequent flooding than for development.
She said she hoped that local representatives and relevant agencies would find long-term solutions to flooding.
Another victim, Jali Jawi, 52, said the floodwaters came into the village from two different sources simultaneously.
“The flood was bigger and worse than before. The water came not just from the land but also from the sea,” he said.
He added that water began rising around 5.30pm and only receded early yesterday morning.
A check by Bernama revealed that floodwaters had receded to ankle level, with most of the area still covered in thick mud, making cleaning difficult.
Damaged furniture and household items carried away by the flood were scattered in front of several houses, while residents were busy removing mud from their homes and drying salvaged items.
According to the Sabah State Disaster Management Committee, the number of flood victims rose from 282 on Saturday to 495 yesterday morning. The victims are currently sheltered at two relief centres.
In Kota Kinabalu, 180 victims from 46 families are currently housed in a hall at the Al-munir Mosque, while 315 victims from 113 families in Beaufort are being sheltered at the Selagon Evacuation Centre.
KUALA BERANG: The disaster relief centre at SMK Matang here has been fully upgraded from a temporary centre to a permanent one and is now ready for use, says National Disaster Management Agency.
Its director-general, Meor Ismail Meor Akim, said the upgrading works involved converting an unused hostel block at the school into a permanent disaster relief centre, carried out from July to December last year at a cost of about RM907,000.
He said it is the third such centre completed nationwide, following the completion of two similar centres in Johor – at Dewan Taman Kota Jaya and Dewan Arena Segitiga in Kota Tinggi.
“We plan to create 15 permanent disaster relief centres nationwide, either through new construction or by upgrading existing temporary centre facilities, and this is the third to be completed after the two in Johor.
“We aim to ensure greater comfort for flood victims, and we also hope the centre can be utilised outside the flood season so that it does not become a wasted facility,” he told reporters after attending the handover ceremony of the relief centre here yesterday, reported Bernama.
Meor Ismail said the relief centre, which can accommodate more than 200 flood victims at any one time, is equipped with improved facilities, including disability-friendly toilets.
The centre comprises seven rooms and a storage area that can serve as a forward base for essential supplies and food distribution during flood emergencies.
Meanwhile, he said all relevant agencies are on full alert in preparation for the next phase of the north-east monsoon, which is expected to begin today.
“Several states are currently experiencing floods, and this is only the middle of the monsoon season. Another surge of heavy rain is forecast, and all agencies have been on standby since the early stages,” he added.
KOTA KINABALU: Jumlah mangsa banjir di dua buah daerah di negeri ini iaitu Beaufort dan Kota Kinabalu meningkat kepada 498 orang berbanding 190 mangsa semalam.
Mengikut info Pusat Kawalan Banjir Sabah hari ini mangsa membabitkan 114 ketua isi rumah di Beaufort dan 46 ketua isi rumah di Kota Kinabalu.
Dua pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) disediakan kepada mangsa iaitu di Dewan Slagon, Beaufort dan Dewan Masjid Al Munir, Darau, Kota Kinabalu.
Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, cuaca di beberapa daerah di negeri ini, berada dalam keadaan tidak menentu dalam beberapa hari.
Jabatan Meteorologi Sabah meramalkan, hujan dan ribut petir kerap berlaku di hampir semua kawasan di negeri ini, termasuk Beaufort yang sedang dilanda banjir.
Sehubungan itu, penduduk terutama yang mendiami kawasan yang mudah dinaiki air dinasihatkan sentiasa berhati-hati dan pindah ke tempat selamat apabila ada tanda paras air meningkat. – UTUSAN
KOTA KINABALU, 4 Jan — Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship, and Transportation, Datuk Ewon Benedick, has proposed that the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (Kuskop) continue implementing a loan repayment moratorium to assist entrepreneurs affected by disasters.
He said the move is in line with the state government’s efforts to ensure that micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) remain competitive despite facing unforeseen challenges.
“Previously, financing agencies under Kuskop implemented a policy of granting moratoriums or loan repayment flexibility, including payment deferments of up to a maximum of six months for affected entrepreneurs.
“In this regard, I will seek confirmation from Kuskop on whether this policy is still ongoing or otherwise,” he said in a statement today.
Ewon added that his ministry would also propose to Kuskop that the joint committee established previously be maintained to ensure the coordination of entrepreneurship development is implemented more effectively.
He noted that the establishment of the committee is vital not only for coordinating entrepreneur development programs but also for addressing issues related to calamities and disasters that directly impact business continuity. — Bernama
MIRI, Jan 4 — The prolonged heavy rainfall over the past few days triggered a landslide that blocked the main access into Kampung Danau, Bekenu here today.
A team of firefighters from the Batu Niah Fire and Rescue Station (BBP Batu Niah) was despatched to the location after receiving a call from concerned residents at 4.52am.
According to a Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) operations control centre report, the continuous heavy rain in the area caused a landslide from a hill that resulted in a 30-foot-high obstruction.
“The despatched team conducted an initial size-up and proceeded to install safety barriers at the affected area and inform the Disaster Operation Centre for further action. After ensuring the situation was safe, they returned to the station at 6.30am,” it said.
Meanwhile, Pekan Bekenu, Kampung Dagang, Kampung Kelapa and Kampung Jenggalas were also inundated due to the persistent rainfall.
A BBP Batu Niah report said patrols and monitoring conducted on Sunday morning found that water levels in the Bekenu town area were between one and two feet high.
“In some areas, the water had risen to between three- and four-feet high,” it said, adding that no evacuations had been carried out so far. — The Borneo Post
