KOTA KINABALU: Villagers in flood-prone Penampang are calling for solutions to their never-ending flood woes, which have been worsening in recent years mainly due to the increase in development projects.

       Housewife Rosie Mijoh, 59, said that she noticed that floods have been occurring very often over the past couple of years, especially when projects for road widening, housing and others started to increase.

       Developers as well as authorities should ensure that drainage and irrigation are well thought out before each project is approved.

       "Every time it rains heavily, we have to start packing essentials and move our furniture and vehicles to higher ground in case it floods, " lamented Rosie, who lives in Kg Divato.

       Her neighbour Junin @ Bibi Sitawa, 85, said at this stage of her life, all she wants is to live peacefully without having to worry about disasters.

       "But in recent years, I have had to worry about floods every time it rains, " she said, asking why a solution has not been forthcoming.

       Kg Torikon villager Albert Francis, 50, wants developers who fail to comply with environmental guidelines to be fined and urged authorities to make a serious effort to end Penampang's flood issues.

       Mack Songkuban, who owns a car wash business, said he has to bear the cost to repair and clean his premises after each flood.

       "There is economic slowdown and poor business due to Covid-19 – and now, more problems with floods, " he said.

       Floods hit Penampang early Thursday (July 15) after a thunderstorm that started on Wednesday (July 14) evening.

       Hundreds of houses were affected while many roads, including the Sigah roundabout in Donggongon that connects villages in Penampang to city areas, were cut off by floods.

       State Civil Defence officials and other departments are on standby to evacuate victims if the situation worsens.