KOTA KINABALU: As floodwaters surged through Kampung Langkon in Sabah’s northern district of Kota Marudu early Thursday (Mar 20), a mother and her two children waded desperately towards the main road, hoping to reach safety.
However, the water rose faster than they could move, and within minutes, they were trapped - stranded in the swirling currents with nowhere to go.
In a split-second decision, the mother, in her 50s, clutched onto a banana tree, hoisting her six-year-old daughter onto a sturdy branch while her 20-year-old son clung tightly beside her.
For over an hour, they remained perched among the fragile trees - drenched, cold and terrified - as the floodwaters raged below.
The mother quietly prayed for help, counting every passing second.
Her prayers were answered when a team of firemen, en route to Kampung Tigaman, passed through the area on a flood inspection.
The son spotted them in the distance and, with all his remaining strength, shouted for help.
“The four-member rescue team was heading towards Kampung Tigaman for flood monitoring. Upon seeing the victims, they immediately changed course and made their way towards the stranded family,” said Asman Omar, operations officer from the Kota Marudu Fire and Rescue Services Station.
Using ropes and careful manoeuvring, the rescuers pulled the mother and children to safety, guiding them through the waist-deep waters before relocating them to a relative’s home.
The rescue was part of ongoing flood operations in the district, as continuous heavy rain since the previous day had submerged multiple villages.
Authorities remain on high alert, monitoring affected areas as the risk of rising waters persists.
Apart from Kota Marudu, the intermittent rain since Wednesday (March 19) had also submerged several districts in Sabah, including Pitas, Beluran, Paitan and Sandakan.
