KAPIT,Feb 12: A total of 41 people who were camping on a river bank near Rumah Untang, Sungai Yong, Bukit Goram near here were reported to be trapped due to the water head phenomenon last night
In the incident at about 8.30pm, the group of visitors involved is said to have travelled from Bintulu to camp in the area across the river before the heavy rain.
Kapit Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) chief Timoty Barat said they received information about civilians trapped in the area at 8.32pm.
“We were informed that a total of 41 victims including 20 adults and 21 children were trapped in the area across from Sungai Yong.
“Firefighters assisted by the police and the Civil Defense Force (APM) rushed to the location to provide assistance in an operation to save all the victims,” he said today.
He said, upon rescuers arriving at the location at 8.53pm, it was found that there were nine families from Bintulu who had the intention of camping and spending the night on the opposite bank of the river.
“The operation to move the victims was carried out by installing a safety line across the river because the water current was quite strong at a depth of chest level (1.5 metres).
“Next, the rescuers use a ‘personal line’ attached to the ‘safety line’ to help the victims cross the river one by one,” he added
Timoty said the operation to evacuated all the victims took about an hour
All the victims were uninjured.
The operation involved 8 firefighters from Kapit BBP, who were assisted by two policemen and four APM personnel. — DayakDaily
