Housewife, relatives ‘trapped’ by fallen electric pole

KOTA KINABALU: While some people are back at their hometowns celebrating Hari Raya Haji on Sunday (July 10), Dayang Fazlena Ayusai and her relatives are instead trapped after thunderstorms that occurred a day earlier.

The 37-year-old housewife and some 12 family members are stuck at her mother’s house in Kampung Tebongon, Putatan the fallen electric pole – which toppled due to a fallen tree – in a flooded area in front of the house has yet to be removed.

The police, Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Defence Force were at the scene Saturday night (July 9) but told the family they were unable to remove the tree and debris as the pole was submerged in floodwaters.

“The house which was damaged by a fallen tree was my aunt’s house in front of my mother’s.

“The authorities said ours is the fifth request for tree removal, but that is not the main problem.

“The issue is we can’t go out of the house or drive anywhere because the surrounding area, which includes our relatives' houses, is still flooded and the cable is in the water, so we fear electrocution,” she told The Star.

They also had to fend off a 3.65m (12ft) snake that was swimming in the water around noon on Sunday.

“So all plans for Hari Raya Haji are off, because we are no longer in the mood.

“I was supposed to go to an Aidiladha event this morning and my mother was also planning to cook, but all the activities have to be cancelled.

“Right now I am just about to give up, because calls to the SESB (Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd) hotline are not being entertained.

“We could have done the clean-up work ourselves, but we need help with the fallen pole and cable,” she said.

As at 2pm, the water level at the surrounding houses was between knee and thigh level, said Dayang Fazlena.