LABUAN, Dec 19 — Relentless rains last night (Wednesday night) have led to flash floods in several villages here with Kg Rancha-Rancha Darat being worst hit with six houses there being partially submerged in water.
Labuan experienced heavy downpour since the last few days, with the monsoon drains overflowing to several low-lying areas up to knee-high.
“Roads were blocked due to rising water and we were not able to go out of our houses. My wife and I had to move our children, important belongings and documents to my mother-in-law’s house next door,” an affected victim, Mohd Rezuan Abd Hassan, told Bernama.
The six affected families (from the six affected houses) blamed the clogged monsoon drains which had not been maintained for the past years as the source of the problem.
“The floods had been going on for the past 15 years…the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) has built the monsoon drain at the backyard to drain out the floodwater but in vain,” Rezuan said.
Wooden furniture including cabinet and refrigerators belonging to the victims were among items that were destroyed in last night’s floods.
“I was lucky I drove out my car to higher ground during the floods, as the water was raising to hip level…I asked the DID officers who should be blamed for this floods, but they blamed other authorities…leaving us in quandary.
“We experienced flash floods here for years now…it happens every year around this time, however, this round is the worst as the bulk of my furniture had been damaged.
“I hope I can salvage most of it…last year, only my kitchen was affected,” he said.
Floodwaters rose at 7pm for hours, and only began receding the next morning.
Labuan Corporation chief executive officer Fary Akmal Osman said her officers would be liaising with the affected victims on necessary assistance. — Bernama
