Water levels at two Pitas rivers recede but still not out of danger

Fire and Rescue team monitoring the flood situation at several villages in Pitas.

KOTA KINABALU: Although the water levels at two rivers in Pitas have receded, they remained at dangerous levels and many roads are still inaccessible due to floods.

Civil Defence Department director Col Mulliadi Al-Hamdi Ladin said the water level in Sungai Kebatasan have done down from 6.23m to 6.1m while Sungai Bengkoka from 4m to 3.93m as of 6.40am Thursday.

Mulliadi said nine main roads leading to the affected villages – Kg Salimpodon Darat, Kg Indah, Kg Kusilad, Kg Pandan Mendamai, Kg Layang Kanibongan, Kg Sosop, Kg Boribi Kanibongan, Kg Pondoi and Kg Kibuluh - are still submerged and cut off.

A total of 16 villages are now affected by the floods.

"A total of 281 people have moved out of their homes and are staying at three evacuation centres," he said.

Meanwhile, eight primary and one secondary schools with 1,644 pupils and 169 teachers have been closed due to the floods.

They are SK Pandan Mandamai, SK Sosop, SK Pinggan-Pinggan, SK. Mandurian, SK. Pinapak, SK. Nibang, SK. Rokom, SK. Kanibungan and SMK Kanibungan.

"The weather is still gloomy and it looks like it might rain again later but we hope it won't," he said.