KOTA KINABALU, July 15 — Residents of Kampung Donggoi here are urged to evacuate to the flood relief centre due to fears of unusually heavy rainfall that had caused flash flood since June 23.

Sabah Civil Defence Force (APM) director Kolonel Mulliadi Al-Hamdi Ladin said, however, the villagers were reluctant to do so because they could still obtain food supplies via the river by using boats.

"The villagers are requesting for additional boats to transport food by river and other arrangements as the existing number of boats are insufficient,” he said in a statement here following his visit to Kampung Donggoi to monitor the flash flood situation today.

He was accompanied by Kota Belud district officer Abdul Gari Itam, who is also the District Disaster Management Committee chairman.

Mulliadi said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak, who is Usukan state assemblyman, had also donated an engine boat which was being sent to Kampung Donggoi.

He said Abdul Gari also wanted the chairman of the Village Development and Security Committee to meet welfare officers for the purpose of obtaining food aid and other necessities.

On the flash floods, Mulliadi said 25 houses were affected while the road connecting the village, namely Jalan Kampung Lingkodon to Jalan Donggoi and Jalan Kampung Song-Song to Jalan Donggoi was cut off.

"There is no alternative route and the villagers need to use sampan or raft to go out to the main route,” he said.

He said the flash floods in the village only occur in the afternoon based on the trend of rain in the west coast of Sabah at present while the flash flood situation has persisted due to drainage problems.

Sabah APM would continue to monitor the situation from time to time, he added. — Bernama