KOTA KINABALU: Search and rescuers are racing against time to look for two babies who went missing following a flood in interior Sook.
The two victims, a three-month-old and a two-year-old, were said to have been swept away when a flash flood hit their home in Kg Dalit Sook on Tuesday (Sept 24) evening.
They were among seven people who were swept away by the flood water, but five others managed to save themselves.
The authorities have yet to disclose the full details of the incident.
However, Sabah Fire and Rescue Department officials said that they received a distress call at around 10.06pm, and a team of rescuers only managed to reach them at 3am.
Search and rescue efforts involving the police, the Fire and Rescue Department, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, and villagers are ongoing.
Meanwhile, Keningau district police chief Supt Yampil Garai confirmed the 9:32pm incident, stating that both children remain missing, while their parents, who sustained injuries, are currently receiving treatment at the district hospital.
“The family lived in one of nine workers' quarters at Karamatoi Ulu in Sook, Keningau. Their home is located closest to the river, just about 20m away,” Garai said.
He added that the Talangkai River swelled after hours of continuous rain since 5pm.
This is the first time the river has swelled, and authorities believe the flooding may have been triggered by logging activities upstream of the Talangkai River.
