At least 12 people have died in landslides triggered by more than a week of heavy rain in Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island, officials and local media reported Tuesday.
Rescue authorities said over 2,000 residents from low-lying areas around the capital Kota Kinabalu have been evacuated after days of flooding and landslides. The deadliest incident occurred Monday when debris struck an informal settlement on the city’s outskirts, killing eight people, including four children, according to the New Straits Times.
The same day, three more people, including a 10-year-old girl, were killed in a landslide in Gana, about 100 kilometers east of Kota Kinabalu. Earlier, a 97-year-old man was buried by mud in Penampang, just outside the capital.
Sabah, Malaysia’s poorest state, has been battered by relentless downpours for the past 10 days, damaging homes, roads, and other infrastructure. Flooding remains a persistent threat in the region, which is prone to seasonal inundation during the monsoon months from November to March.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Amidi ordered national response agencies to assist with search and rescue operations. Sabah’s state government also cancelled Malaysia Day celebrations on Tuesday to focus resources on relief efforts.
Although rains eased and waters began to recede, many residents said the risk of renewed flooding remained. “All we can do is try to stay calm as we deal with this flood and mud at home,” Oliver Golingai, 44, told The Star newspaper, adding that celebrations were the last thing on people’s minds.
