BEAUFORT: The frequent flooding disasters affecting Beaufort District, especially in the Lumadan area, have caused losses amounting to millions of ringgit, including destroyed crops, animal deaths and property damage.
Sabah Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries, Datuk Ruslan Muharam, said residents in the area have to face the flood situation nearly 10 times a year.
“It is estimated that over 10,000 farmers were affected by the flood disaster. The floods affected, among others, their crops, fruits and rice fields, with little hope of achieving their expected yield.
“We ask the farmers to report to the district agricultural officers to be reported to the State level before being brought to the federal level,” he said after visiting temporary evacuation centres (PPS) at the Kampung Batandok mosque and Kampung Padas Damit hall.
The Lumadan Assemblyman also advised residents who experienced damage caused by the flood disasters to report it for the purpose of claiming assistance.
Ruslan said the State Government constantly strives to overcome the flood problem.
He said flood mitigation measures have been successfully implemented to overcome the flood problem that previously inundated Beaufort town.
“Usually when floods occur, the old town of Beaufort is submerged, but with the construction of flood mitigation measures, the old town is no longer flooded.
“That was the first post-flood assessment, and we will work on the next one,” he said, adding that a proper PPS is currently being planned for construction in Kampung Padas Damit.
Ruslan said the site for the PPS is currently being identified and is expected to accommodate approximately 1,000 victims from 300 families to facilitate the evacuation of flood victims from nearby villages.
