PORTAL RASMI
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
Beaufort residents struggle with floods, train service disrupted, daily necessities run out
- Admin UKK
- Berita
BEAUFORT (Mar 10): Residents in this district are facing difficulties as Beaufort Town, the hub of their economic activities and daily life, has been hit by floods since last Friday (March 7) and the town’s roads are now only passable by heavy vehicles while train services have been disrupted.
A check by Bernama at the affected area found residents struggling to obtain daily necessities as all shops are closed, with some shops submerged up to the level of the signboards. Residents have been forced to use boats to reach certain areas of the town due to the extremely high level of floodwaters.
Even Bernama’s staff covering the situation had to park their 4×4 vehicles on the outskirts of the town, located next to the Sungai Padas, before wading through waist-deep floodwaters on foot and using boats to access affected areas.
Florance Jerome, a 44-year-old teacher, said she, along with staff from Sekolah Kebangsaan St John and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), are working to gather food and supplies for those affected in the area.
“The security guard at the school has also been without food supplies since last Friday due to the ongoing floods, as have the residents in the surrounding areas. Since this morning, we’ve been trying to get supplies, but it’s been quite difficult, especially trying to get past the floodwaters in the town,” she told Bernama Monday.
She said that currently, the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) is providing assistance, and she hopes that more people will help, particularly in providing boats for evacuation and the distribution of food supplies.
As of 4 pm Monday, a total of 4,159 people from 1,362 families are taking shelter in 24 temporary relief centres (PPS) in Sabah, while 1,339 people from 432 families have been placed in four PPS in Beaufort.
A construction contractor, Awang Razali Awang Damit, 52, said that some daily necessities like rice are still available in certain shops on the outskirts of the town, but in very small quantities.
Items in high demand, such as sugar and cooking oil, have run out.
“Shops in the town will take a long time to recover even after the floodwaters have receded because they were severely submerged. So, residents have had to look for alternatives, such as going to other towns, but those are quite far as well,” he said.
Beaufort Town is located 97 kilometres south of Kota Kinabalu, with the nearest towns being Kuala Penyu (40 km), Papar (54 km), and Menumbok (63 km). However, the affected roads in surrounding areas, including Membakut, are making it difficult for residents to move around.
Housewife Normah Sulaiman, 58, said that the train service is a vital link between rural and remote areas, as well as to major cities like Kota Kinabalu. Therefore, residents are facing difficulties as the service has been disrupted due to the floods.
“Many rely on the train to go to Kota Kinabalu, whether for work or to visit relatives. It is the most affordable and safest option, especially for elderly people like me who are unable to drive long distances,” she said, hoping that the service would resume as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Sabah State Railway Department, when contacted by Bernama, said that the railway track connecting Beaufort Station and Membakut Station is still affected by the floods. As a result, train services are currently only available from Sembulan Station in Kota Kinabalu to Bongawan Station.
He said that the affected tracks have been disrupted since last Saturday (March 8), and they are now working to restore the service as quickly as possible.
“Indeed, Beaufort Station, located in Beaufort Town, has also been affected by the floods, and the tracks in the area are submerged. We hope the floodwaters will recede soon so that we can take immediate steps to restore the train service,” he said. – Bernama
KOTA KINABALU (Mar 10): Flooding is a recurrent issue in Beaufort, Sabah, particularly due to the overflow of Sungai Padas (Sg Padas) — one of the largest and most significant rivers in the state.
Heavy rainfall during the monsoon season often leads to rising water levels, causing floods that affect local communities, transportation, and economic activities.
To mitigate risks and improve preparedness, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia (JPS Malaysia) provides an online platform known as Public InfoBanjir. This website offers real-time water level data for rivers across Malaysia, including Sg Padas.
Public InfoBanjir (https://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my/aras-air/data-paras-air/?state=SAB&lang=en) enables public to monitor the river level of Sg Padas and the flooding conditions in Beaufort and the significance of tracking river level in real time.
How to use Public InfoBanjir to Monitor Flooding in Beaufort
To check the water level of Sg Padas in Beaufort, follow these steps:
1. Visit the Public InfoBanjir website:
https://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my/aras-air/data-paras-air/?state=SAB&lang=en
2. Select “SABAH” as the state to view water levels in Sabah’s rivers.
3. Locate the Sg Padas monitoring stations (e.g., Beaufort, Tenom, etc.).
4. Check the current water level status (Normal, Alert, Warning, or Danger).
5. View the hydrograph to see trends over the past hours or days.
6. Use the data for planning:
• If the level is rising towards Warning or Danger, take necessary precautions.
• Authorities may issue evacuation orders if water levels reach dangerous thresholds.
With the growing risks of climate change and increasing rainfall variability, the Public InfoBanjir portal is a crucial resource for individuals, businesses, and government agencies.
By monitoring Sg Padas in real-time, people in Beaufort can:
• Take early action before floods worsen.
• Plan safer travel routes if roads are submerged.
• Protect property and belongings by moving valuables to higher
ground.
• Assist in community flood preparedness efforts.
Flooding in Beaufort remains a serious challenge, but with tools like Public InfoBanjir, communities can stay ahead of potential disasters. The ability to track Sg Padas water levels in real time provides valuable insights for early flood warnings, emergency response, and infrastructure planning.
By regularly checking https://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my/aras-air/data-paras-air/?state=SAB&lang=en and staying informed, residents and authorities can better prepare for and mitigate flood impacts in Beaufort.
BEAUFORT: Pasukan bomba berdepan risiko mengalami hipotermia akibat kesejukan melampau kerana berada terlalu lama dalam air ketika menjalankan operasi menyelamatkan mangsa banjir besar yang sedang melanda Beaufort.
Ketua Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat (BBP) Beaufort, Mohammad Hasbullah Nenggok, berkata usaha memindahkan mangsa banjir di daerah ini giat dijalankan sejak Jumaat lalu.
Katanya, kekuatan anggota dari BBP itu ialah seramai 36 orang dengan dibantu pasukan dari Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Lintas, Putatan, Kuala Penyu dan Sipitang, di samping pelbagai agensi lain.
Beliau berkata, proses pemindahan itu membabitkan mangsa dari 24 kampung yang terjejas banjir, termasuk Kampung Cina, Balibata, Bakalau, Bingkul, Lumatai, Muhibbah Baru, Lupak, Batu 60, Batandok, Lago dan Padas Baru.
Selain itu, Beaufort Selatan, Selagon, Taman Muhibbah, Kampung Padas Valley, Luagan, Kubu, Mempagar, Bangkalalak, Suasa, Lubak, Pintas, Lumadan dan Jaya Baru.
"Cabaran ditempuhi semua agensi terbabit ialah arus deras menyukarkan bot penyelamat, selain jalan tidak mempunyai pancang tepi menyukarkan lori penyelamat untuk mengagak laluan ketika digenangi air
"Malah, ada risiko hipotermia akibat kesejukan melampau kerana berada terlalu lama dalam air," katanya ketika dihubungi, semalam.
Bagaimanapun setakat ini, beliau berkata, proses pemindahan mangsa banjir berjalan lancar dan penduduk di kawasan rendah turut dinasihatkan supaya berpindah lebih awal.
"Kita juga meminta mangsa banjir bertenang dalam proses pemindahan kerana terlalu ramai dan ia agak menyukarkan pasukan keselamatan untuk segera ke lokasi mereka," katanya.
ARGENTINA: Ribut dahsyat melanda bandar pelabuhan Bahía Blanca di Argentina pada hari Jumaat (7 Mac), mengorbankan sekurang-kurangnya 16 nyawa dan menyebabkan 40 peratus penempatan di bandar itu terputus bekalan elektrik serta air, menurut laporan media tempatan.
Pihak berkuasa tempatan mengesahkan bahawa hujan lebat melebihi 400 milimeter melanda kawasan tersebut, memaksa pemindahan 1,443 penduduk. Pasukan kecemasan kini sedang menyiasat lebih daripada 100 laporan orang hilang sementara operasi menyelamat diteruskan.
Sebagai tindak balas terhadap bencana ini, kerajaan Argentina telah mengisytiharkan tiga hari berkabung nasional dan memperuntukkan 10 bilion peso (kira-kira AS$9.4 juta) dalam bantuan kecemasan bagi menyokong usaha bantuan segera.
Datuk Bandar Bahía Blanca, Federico Susbielles, menzahirkan kesan kemusnahan yang berlaku, menganggarkan bahawa kos pemulihan akan melebihi 400 bilion peso (AS$375 juta). – REUTERS
SARIKEI (March 11): Heavy and prolonged rainfall triggered a landslide behind Rumah Riti, Sungai Bakong on Jan 10, resulting in significant damage to the kitchen, toilet, and bathroom.
Gung Chiu Kion, representing Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability and Sarikei MP Dato Sri Huang Tiong Sii, recently inspected the site.
He was joined by officials from the Meradong District Office and the Sarikei Public Works Department (JKR) to assess the situation.
Discussions centered on strategies to address the issue and prevent similar events from endangering the structural integrity of the longhouse in the future.
Sidi, a resident who lives at the far end of the longhouse with five family members, recounted his harrowing experience.
He said he heard loud noises moments before the back portion of their house, including the kitchen, started to sink gradually.
Sidi has appealed to Huang, who is also Repok assemblyman, for help in reconstructing the damaged sections of his home.
Pemanca Yii Hee Sieng, representing Meradong assemblyman Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing, was also present during the visit.