KOTA KINABALU • A section of Mount Kinabalu collapsed yesterday due to continuous strong winds and rains, which has led to flooding in many areas of Sabah in East Malaysia.

No one was injured in the Mount Kinabalu incident as the collapsed section fell into the Mesilou river area.

The location is close to an old resort which had been shut down after it was damaged in the earthquake on June 5, 2015, which killed 18 people, including seven pupils and two teachers from Tanjong Katong Primary School in Singapore, as well as a Singaporean guide.

Sabah Civil Defence Department acting director Mohd Izaimi Md Daud said several officials were sent to the scene yesterday to assess the damage.

"From what we observed so far, everything is under control," he said, adding that officials were monitoring the situation.

Many areas in Sabah are flooded, with the Kota Belud district being the worst hit because it has been raining continuously for the past week. Thousands of villagers are believed to be affected by the floodwaters.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah geologist Felix Tongkul said the floods could have been exacerbated by the 2015 earthquake and the hundreds of aftershocks that followed.

Kota Belud is situated close to mountainous areas.

Dr Tongkul said the series of debris and mud floods which occurred after the quake had made the Kadamaian river channel shallower due to sedimentation.

Lieutenant-Colonel Mohd Izaimi said some 1,729 people had been evacuated as of yesterday morning and they were being housed in seven temporary shelters. Other affected areas include Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Kuala Penyu, Beaufort, Sipitang, Tenom, Keningau, Tambunan, Kudat and Labuan, and some parts of Sarawak.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK