Drought emergency declared in Papar, Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: A drought emergency has been declared in Sabah's south western Papar district Wednesday. (March 13).

Papar district officer Mohd Fuad Abdullah declared the emergency and ordered immediate activation of the District Disaster Management Operations Centre.

This was to address water distribution to the people affected by the dry spell.

When contacted, State Secretary Datuk Safar Untong said the Papar water treatment plant had been shut down by Sabah Water Department.

He said so far only Papar district, about 60kms from here, had activated their disaster management centre.

Sabah had been experiencing hot and dry spells since early February, with hundreds of villagers calling for help as their river water sources started drying up.

Villagers in the Tuaran district have also called for the activation of the Tuaran district disaster management centre to get water supply to villagers there.

The El Nino induced dry spell is also adding pressure on Sabah's government's efforts to tackle its water woes. Water rationing and disruption have plagued consumers for nearly two-years.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Shaelmey Yahya, who is state Works Minister, last week said there was enough water at all its water dams - except the Sebatik water dam in Tawau- for another three months.

The Sebatik dam had dried up.

Earlier this week, Safar said that the state government had requested the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) to carry out cloud seeding operations at water catchments around the state.

The state is hoping that it will be carried out this week.

Firemen have also been working round the clock to put out bush and jungle fires in several districts in the west coast of Sabah.