Sandakan: The Sandakan District Disaster Management Committee (JPBD) this morning declared the district a landslide disaster area. Its chairman Walter Kenson, who is also the Sandakan Municipal Council president, stated that the declaration was made at 10 am, following reports from the committee's field agencies. These reports came after inspections were conducted at the landslide site and Block 10 building at Lebuh Empat in the town centre.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Walter Kenson mentioned that the affected area is currently deemed unsafe for occupation until further inspections related to the landslide are carried out. The area will be confirmed safe only after these inspections are completed.

In response to the situation, a temporary relief centre (PPS) was established at the Sandakan Community Hall at 12 noon today. The relief centre aims to provide assistance to those affected by the landslide.

The incident has already claimed a life. An elderly man, Agustine Frederick J Lingam, aged 76, died after being buried in a landslide behind a hotel in Sandakan town. The tragedy occurred while he was attempting to start the hotel's generator during a power outage caused by heavy rain.