By NOOR EVIANA DATU MAZINAL
KOTA BELUD: Barely recovered from the flash floods less than two months ago, the residents in low-lying areas once again have to face the flood dilemma.
If the last October floods were due to continuous rain over a week, this time it only took a night for flood water level to touch the danger level of 5.83m at Abai river and 3.07m in Tempasuk River.
According to a report by the Malaysian Defense Forces in Sabah, eight major roads and alternatives have also been cut off.
However, only 120 victims from 79 families were rescued and placed at the temporary relief centre at Tun Said Community Hall.
In the meantime, hundreds of the road users had to pull over by the road before the Lebak Moyoh’s roundabout as the road was impassable on Monday night.
According to one of the stranded motorists, Syarifah Norroziana Bataraja, 29, who was returning from work in Kota Kinabalu said that she could not reach her home at Kampung Taun Gusi here.
She rushed home from office as early as 4pm after being informed by family members on the rising water. Unfortunately, it took her almost three hours to arrive at Kota Belud due to traffic crawls along Kota Kinabalu and Tuaran roads which were also affected by flash floods.
“The water current was strong as usually my vehicle can pass through floodwaters. I saw a four-wheel drive vehicle almost slipping into the drain,” said Syarifah who commutes daily between Kota Belud and Kota Kinabalu.
This reporter also experienced sleepless night when she had to pull over and to stay awake while watching the water level rising.
Meanwhile a nearby villager, Adizan Sabdar, 29, said the heavy downpour had inundated the major roads by 8.30pm.
“It was not until two hours, the floodwaters had already reached my knees and this time, the water level was higher than the last floods.
“Some of my neighbors did not have time to salvage their possessions as the water was rising too fast and they were forced to get out of their house,” he said.
Floodwaters began to recede as early as 8am and stranded overnight motorists can finally continue their journey home.
For the record, this year alone Kota Belud experienced a total of 82 floods. Local leaders have channeled flood reliefs worth RM600,000 last October.
