TAWAU: Firemen rescued 33 flash flood victims, including eight toddlers who were trapped in their homes in Kampung
Pasir Putih here early today.
Tawau Fire and Rescue Department zone chief Ismadi Ismail told Bernama that the department received a distress call from a resident at 7.36am through the MERS 999 hotline, which requested for help to relocate them to a safer place.
He said the victims comprised 14 adults, 11 children and eight toddlers, who were among 100 residents living in the ‘Block A and B’ areas in Kampung Pasir Putih.
Firemen transported the victims to safer ground or relatives homes. Ismail said that the Fire and Rescue Department’s operations ended after four hours as flood waters began receding. The operations in Kampung Pasir Putih wrapped up by 11.04am today.
Meanwhile, the New Straits Times Press’Abdul Rahemang Taiming reported that Kampung Pasir Putih was among
10 neighbourhoods which were hit by the flash floods.
The other areas affected were Kampung Iban, Merotai, Kampung Blok 17, Kampung Kijang, Kampung Batu 22, Kampung Rawa-Rawa, Kampung Baru Batu 2 Jalan Apas, Taman Green and Taman Pasadena.
Residents were unable to salvage belongings such as their furniture and household items when their homes were inundated after a continuous downpour which began at about 2am today.
Several vehicles were inundated in the flash floods. Batu 5 Jalan Ampas, Jalan Utara, Jalan Kuhara and Jalan Tanjung Batu were among access roads that were inundated for several hours.
Tawau Fire and Rescue station chief Sharudy Delamin said rescuers were deployed in boats and other vehicles.
“Kampung Pasir Putih was among the worst-hit areas as we used boats to rescue victims who had been trapped in their homes before transfering them to higher ground and safer areas,” said Sharudy.
A survey by NSTP showed that several rivers in Jambatan Putih, Pasir Putih as well as Sungai Tawau and Sungai Kinabutan Besar had overflowed as rising water levels coincided with the high tide.