KOTA KINABALU, Nov 30 — Twenty-two people were rescued after several places in Penampang and nearby areas were flooded following heavy rain today.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson said a team had rushed to the flooded SK Kibabaig in Penampang and rescued two students after receiving a distress call at 6.06pm.
He said in another operation, a team rescued four men, three women, three boys, four girls and two infants from three families in Taman Kolombong here around 5.45pm.
In Kampung Bambangan, the firefighters rescued four people from a flooded house after receiving a distress call at 3.24pm.
“A man, a woman and two girls were trapped inside a flooded house,” the spokesman said.
Heavy and continuous rain since Thursday afternoon was followed by flash floods which hit several areas here, including near the state capital.
Among the areas flooded were near Bundusan which involved nearby housing areas, the Penampang Road Transport Department headquarters and schools including SJK(C) Yue Min Penampang as well as several nearby business areas.
Also affected was the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) area, apparently the first time, believed to be caused by drainage problems.
The road from Kolombong to Inanam was also affected by flash floods. Traffic was still passable but there was some congestion.
Meanwhile, the water levels at several flooded areas receded by evening.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson said as of 6.45pm, the situation along Jalan Utama Putatan until Cyber City, Kampung Sailan, Kampung Tombouvo, Kampung Meruntum, Kampung Contoh and Taman Bersatu was under control and passable by vehicles.
He said another monitoring at around the same time also found that the water levels at Sungai Semberai and Sungai Tempasuk were also normal.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) today issued a warning of thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds in the state covering the Interior including Sipitang, Tenom and Beaufort.
Also affected were the West Coast areas of Papar, Putatan, Penampang, Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran and Kota Belud as well as Sandakan, Telupid, Beluran and Kudat until 4pm.
MetMalaysia informed that the warning is issued when there are signs of thunderstorms with a rainfall intensity exceeding 20 millimetres per hour that is imminent or expected to occur for more than an hour. — The Borneo Post
