Floods: 2009 tragedy still haunts Long Pasia residents
Published on: Wed, Jul 09, 2025
By: Jinius Pandakin Text Size: Motorists took the risk of crossing the flooded bridge, recently. Long Pasia: The tragedy of passengers being swept away in their cars while trying to cross the concrete bridge over Sungei Meligan during the 2009 floods still haunts residents here. They lament that their cries for roads and concrete bridges in Ulu Padas to be upgraded have yet to be fulfilled. A resident of Kg Long Pasia, Pangiran Salutan, 50, urged the Government to upgrade the concrete bridge after he and other users were stranded on the bridge when returning for Christmas and New Year during the recent floods. 'Incidents like this happen frequently and inconvenience residents,' said Pangiran. They were stranded for four hours due to heavy rain and floodwater inundating the bridge on Dec. 14. The concrete bridge is the main link from Sipitang to Kg Long Pasia. 'If flooding occurs, travel here will be blocked and people have to wait for hours for the water to recede in order to pass,' he said. Students from Kg Iburu who study at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Meligan were sent to the riverbank and continued their journey on foot via a suspension bridge near the concrete bridge to reach their destination, which is 1.5km away. He said the problem hampered the smooth travel of residents who have been waiting for more than five decades for the bridge and the road from Kg Mendulong-Long Pasia to be upgraded. Also affected are teachers and medical staff working in Kg Long Pasia returning on vacation and villagers with urgent matters to attend to in Sipitang. 'We hope the Madani government can replace the bridge with a safer higher one for our safety. It will also make it easier for tourists to come to see the beauty of Kg Long Pasia,' Pangiran said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
21 hours ago
- Daily Express
Mountain guides help 155 climbers through Mount Kinabalu waters
Published on: Friday, July 11, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 11, 2025 By: Clarence Dol Text Size: Climbers fighting torrential streams during descent. RANAU: A total of 155 climbers were safely guided down Mount Kinabalu after torrents of water flowed down the Sayat-Sayat checkpoint area early Thursday morning. Sabah Parks confirmed that the climbers, along with staff, managed to cross the fast-flowing stream with the help of mountain guides and safety ropes after rain began at around 6.15am. The climbing route had been declared safe and opened at 3.26am following early morning weather monitoring by Park Search and Rescue (SAR) teams. However, the situation changed rapidly when strong winds and heavy rain caused torrents of water to rush through parts of the descent path. Mountain guides played a crucial role in assisting climbers through the water, urging them to stay calm and continue moving while holding onto ropes. Videos shared online showed the tense moments as climbers navigated the rushing water, prompting an outpouring of praise for the guides' actions and relief that everyone made it down safely. Ranau Fire and Rescue Chief Rantey Fred advised climbers to assess their fitness, prepare adequately, and be especially cautious during the rainy season, as weather at the summit can change without warning. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
a day ago
- Daily Express
A harrowing experience for Mount Kinabalu climbers
Published on: Friday, July 11, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 11, 2025 By: Clarence Dol Text Size: Climbers flock together while holding on tightly to the safety rope along the trail. RANAU: Climbers on Mount Kinabalu had a harrowing experience early Thursday when torrential rain caused river-like formations with torrents of water flowing down the mountain, posing huge safety risks. Some climbers were temporarily stranded, while others had to brave the strong torrents. Climbers who began their ascent later from Panalaban were stopped at the Sayat-Sayat checkpoint as the rain showed no sign of letting up. Many had to postpone their ascent along the mountain trail due to the weather. By around 3.30am, most chose to return from Sayat-Sayat when it became clear that the downpour would persist. Those on the way back down after having reached the summit eventually made it safely to the Laban Rata resthouse by around 6am. They shared their ordeal on social media during the gut-wrenching moments, as mountain guides struggled to keep everyone safe while reminding climbers to brace themselves against the safety rope along the trail. Viral videos also showed mountain guides telling the climbers not to stop but to continue their climb down while at the same time remaining calm and not to panic. Ranau Fire and Rescue Chief Rantey Fred said no untoward incidents were reported. He reiterated his advice to all future climbers to take a serious assessment of their health before climbing Mount Kinabalu. 'It is important that all climbers always remain vigilant, especially when descending the slippery rocky areas at the top of Mount Kinabalu,' he said. Rantey said although the situation in Ranau is under control, his department is bracing for any eventuality as a result of the windy and rainy condition. 'So far, we have received no serious complaints or reports from the public in regards to the strong wind and rain condition. Since the phenomenon began about four days ago, there were only minor incidents such as broken branches. 'More serious cases like fallen trees or blown away house roofs are not reported. Nevertheless, we hope no such occurrence would happen here until the weather improves,' he said, advising the public to keep safe and make safety a priority. 'Restrict outdoor activities for the time being and make sure children are looked after well when they are outside,' he said. He added that anyone who hears or sees any hazardous situation in their areas to notify the authority concerned. 'They can reach us via the 999 emergency line or call the Fire Station at 088-878779,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Daily Express
Climbers caught in sudden flood on Mount Kinabalu
Published on: Thursday, July 10, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 10, 2025 By: Clarence Dol Text Size: Mount Kinabalu/Facebook RANAU: A sudden downpour early Tuesday triggered flash floods along Mount Kinabalu's trails, posing serious danger to climbers descending from the summit. The situation worsened around 6am as water surged down the mountain, forcing climbers to brave strong currents on their way to Panar Laban. Videos circulating online show mountain guides urging climbers to stay calm, hold onto safety ropes, and keep moving despite the rushing waters. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
