PENAMPANG FLOODS CLAIM FIRST FATALITY

PENAMPANG, July 1 (Bernama) -- The body of a 37-year-old woman believed to have been swept away by flood waters here last night has been found.

Penampang district police chief Supt Sammy Newton said the body was found at 8 am today, about 500 metres from where she was swept away by strong currents around the Jalan Penampang Bypass intersection.

He said a search-and-rescue operation (SAR) was launched after police were alerted to the incident at about 10 pm yesterday, but they faced challenges due to swift flowing waters and high tide.

"We continued the SAR at 6 am today with two police officers and four rank-and-file personnel, seven officers and 13 members from the Civil Defence Force (APM), and 10 fire department personnel.

"The victim's body was found stuck in a fence and a flowering tree," he told reporters at the temporary evacuation centre at the Penampang Cultural Hall here today.

Sammy said the victim, who was from Penampang, is believed to have attempted to cross an area with strong currents, where the water level reached waist height at its peak last night.

He said this is the first fatality in the floods which hit Penampang yesterday following heavy rain which started at about noon.

"We advise the public to always follow the authorities' instructions to avoid any untoward incidents," he said.

A total of 112 flood victims from 40 families have been evacuated to the temporary relief centre at the Penampang Cultural Hall as of this morning.

-- BERNAMA