KOTA KINABALU: An elderly man was killed in a landslide in Sandakan as the flood situation in Sabah’s northern Kota Marudu and Paitan worsened.
Agustine Frederick J. Lingam, 76, was attempting to start a generator during a power outage behind a hotel in Sandakan town at about 6.40am yesterday when the mishap occurred.
Firemen recovered the victim’s body, which was partially buried in earth.
So far, 1,306 people have been evacuated due to continuous rain over the past three days.
Sandakan district officer Walter Kenson declared a landslip disaster there as of noon yesterday, with several hilly slopes giving way following bad weather in the northern and eastern parts of the state.
A landslip also occurred along the slope of Sandakan’s Jalan Sim Sim Cemetery, damaging grave plots near the main road.
Sandakan Civil Defence Officer Sulaiman Salama said high-risk slopes in the district are being monitored, advising members of the public to stay away from such areas.
He said those with concerns about landslips in their areas should move to safer areas.
“There is a risk of further landslides,” he said, adding that they are closely monitoring floodprone areas in Batu 16, Ladang Sandakan at Batu 10 and Batu Sapi.
In Kota Marudu, 988 people from eight villages have been evacuated so far.
In neighbouring Paitan, a total of 266 victims from 26 villages were moved to evacuation centres.
The overnight situation in Pitas remained unchanged with 42 people from six villages evacuated as of noon.
A state Natural Disaster Management secretariat spokesman said victims from 699 families are being placed at seven relief centres in the three districts which opened on Tuesday.
Officials said they are monitoring the situation and providing immediate evacuation in the event of rising floodwater or landslips affecting people living in the identified hotspots.
