SANDAKAN, Sabah: Residents have described a fatal early morning landslide at Block 10 here, which claimed the life of a hotel employee, as a terrifying first-of-its-kind disaster for the area.
Nur Hayati Muhasang, 39, a resident of the block, said she had never faced such an incident in all her years living there until trees were uprooted and the hillside collapsed at dawn.
“During sahur (pre-dawn meal), I heard a loud noise like wood snapping. I looked outside, but it was pitch black, so I could not see what was happening. I could only hear the sounds.
“Then I heard a second roar, like the earth itself was sliding. That was when I panicked. I grabbed my children and rushed out of the building. My only thought was to save them and our identification documents,” she told BERNAMA.
Nur Hayati added that the haunting sounds of falling trees and the shifting hillside continue to ring in her ears.
“I can still feel the tremors even now. During the incident, only my children and I were at home as my husband was away working on a ship,” she said.
Another resident, Wong Yun Ming, 72, said he was unaware of the tragedy until a friend knocked on his door to alert him.
“I am very worried about the situation now. I fear there will be more incidents involving falling trees or further soil movement,” he said.
A total of 25 families from the affected area have been evacuated to the temporary relief centre at the Sandakan Town Community Hall, following the 6.30 am incident on Wednesday.
Earlier, Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) president and district disaster management committee chairman, Walter Kenson, declared the area a landslide disaster zone after inspecting the site.
He said the affected area has been deemed unsafe for occupation pending further technical assessments and a safety clearance. – BERNAMA
