MIRI: Twenty-one people were evacuated from SK Rh Ranggong, Ulu Niah, after floodwaters rose to eight feet.
The Batu Niah Fire and Rescue Station responded to a distress call at 11.12 am and found 14 teachers trapped as floodwaters submerged access roads.
“Only high-clearance vehicles and 4×4 trucks could navigate the area, prompting the team to deploy an FRV Triton and an aluminum boat for the rescue.
“Flooding also affected Rh Belilie longhouse, where three residents requested evacuation to Rh Changgai longhouse, while others opted to stay unless conditions worsened,” it said in a report issued yesterday (Jan 23).
Rescue efforts faced challenges due to rising water levels, temporarily stranding personnel near Rh Sube bridge. Limited to telephone communication, the team retreated to Rh Changgai and waited for water levels to subside.
The evacuees included 18 from SK Rh Ranggong (four men, nine women, and five children) and three from Rh Belilie (including two women). Floodwaters reached depths of eight feet at the school and 5 feet at the longhouse.
Six fire and rescue personnel participated in the operation, using one FRV Triton and one aluminum boat.