KOTA KINABALU: SK Darau pupils, who were stranded at school due to massive flooding in Manggatal, here, are safe and had been given the necessary care by the relevant authorities.
All returned home once their parents came to the school to pick them up.
Photos of the primary school in Manggatal submerged in water and children gathering at a corridor at the school had been making the rounds via Whatsapp, raising concerns among people over the pupils’ safety.
Sabah Education director Datuk Maimunah Suhaibul confirmed there were 22 pupils trapped at SK Darau since afternoon.
“They were unable to get out of the school compound. The school canteen workers provided meals (for the children). There were two teachers accompanying the pupils and all of them were moved to the first floor (of the school building).
“At the moment, all SK Darau pupils have been picked up by their parents. They have returned home,” she said via Whatsapp message.
As of 9pm, said Maimunah, the department received nine reports of schools affected by floods due to heavy downpours in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Tuaran districts.
Here, the affected schools were SK Darau, SK Rampayan, SK Gudon, SK Kitobu and SMK Taman Tun Fuad, while the sole school in Penampang was SK Sugud.
Three primary schools — SK Lapotung, SK Rungus and SJKC Chung Hwa Tenghilan — were affected in Tuaran.
Meanwhile, a Sabah Civil Defence Force spokesman said the department had received reports of flooding in SK Darau, adding that other relevant agencies had also been mobilised to the school to provide aid.