KOTA KINABALU, SABAH – The public are told to curb their habits of polluting drains with trash in order to save themselves from being victims of flooding.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey Kitingan emphasized this alongside the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) director or those contracted for cleanup work to conduct their jobs properly.
Jeffrey said the government has asked for a full report on the flood in Kota Kinabalu and the surrounding districts on Friday, including the drainage conditions in other flood-prone areas.
“I have already requested a briefing from the DID director and how the department could minimise occurrences of future floods…
“I am concerned about the drainage system, especially within the city limit. Sometimes, the drainage is poorly maintained, and there is too much rubbish thrown into the drain,” he said.
Jeffrey, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, advised the people to be more vigilant towards extreme rainfall.
He also suggested a need for a more effective flood forecasting system that could provide early flood warnings to the public thus giving them more time to prepare or evacuate, potentially saving lives and property.
The flood on Friday occurred following a heavy downpour that lasted more than eight hours which coincided with a high tide.
“Unfortunately, there is no quick solution to the flood at the moment. We can only find ways to minimise it while we work towards building the Likas Barrage…
“High tides prevent water from flowing into the sea, resulting in inland flooding. Such has happened on Friday,” he said.
