TWO chartered helicopters were provided by Deputy Works Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup today to send teachers from the interior of Nabawan and around Talaan subdistrict to SK Talaan and other schools.

Arthur said the flights were to ferry eight teachers before classes resume tomorrow, after the roads and rivers in the area could not be accessed due to the recent floods.

The Pensiangan MP said the journey to the area usually took three to six hours depending on the weather conditions.

“The recent unusual floods have damaged infrastructure such as connecting roads and bridges, forcing teachers to walk up to 18 hours to reach school,” he said in a statement.

“I also instructed the helicopter pilots not to return empty, but to ferry some patients who need emergency treatment in Keningau. After they arrive in Keningau, my officer will take them to the Keningau Hospital.”

Nabawan is a district in the interior of Sabah with an area of ​​6,089sq km located 17km south of Kota Kinabalu.

On the suspension bridge to head to SK Nangkawangan and SK Layon in Nabawan, which was damaged by the floods, Arthur said repairs have been progressing over the past few days despite officials and workers facing constraints due to the festive period.

“It is expected that other repairs will follow in the near future. Despite facing the challenges and limitations, we will do our best to speed up all the necessary repair work,” he said.

The federal government had reportedly provided emergency provisions to several villages in Nabawan that were badly affected by the floods last month. This involves the reconstruction of bridges and maintenance of roads affected by the disaster.

Recent videos on social media showed schoolgoing children using rafts and a zip line to cross the river in Nabawan because the suspension bridge, which is the main route for students, teachers and villagers, was washed away by the flood. – Bernama, May 8, 2022.