KOTA KINABALU, Jan 18 — Landslides and floods hit several areas in Sabah on Thursday, destroying a homestay in Kundasang and forcing the temporary closure of Sandakan Rainforest Park.

The Syameen’s Homestay suffered heavy damage when it was struck by a landslide.

A spokesperson from the Fire and Rescue Department said a team from the Ranau fire station was dispatched to the homestay after receiving a call from the public at 5.32pm.

According to reports, the landslide occurred following heavy rain in the district for several days.

Although no untoward incident was reported, the Fire and Rescue Department had urged the residents to evacuate from the area to prevent an unwanted incident from occurring.

After ensuring the area was safe, the operation ended at 6pm, said the spokesperson.

In Kota Marudu, six families are taking shelter at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bengkongan after their homes were affected by floods.

The Disaster District Management Committee, in a statement, said the temporary evacuation centre at SMK Bengkongan was opened on January 16 after rising flood water due to continuous rains in the district for the past couple of days.

All the victims are flood-affected residents from Kampung Tamisan and Rady Tigaman and members of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) are carrying out the evacuation.

Meanwhile, the State Fire and Rescue Department, in a statement stated that they had received an emergency call of flood disaster in Kampung Nibang Pitas.

The route to the location of the flood victims was impassable due to the river water level rising to the main road, which affected the rescue operation.

Based on reports, a total of 47 victims were trapped at Sekolah Kebangsaan Nibang and are reported to be safe.

And the Sandakan Rainforest Park is temporarily closed to the public from 16th January until further notice.

This closure is due to a landslide near the SESB Grid Line pole, which is at risk of collapsing and may pose serious danger to visitors’ safety. — The Borneo Post