Sabah and Labuan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director First Admiral Che Engku Suhaimi Che Engku Daik.
KOTA KINABALU: Maritime communities in the state and neighbouring Labuan have been advised to be wary of strong winds and rough seas due to the monsoon transition phase from Thursday (July 13).
Sabah and Labuan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director First Admiral Che Engku Suhaimi Che Engku Daik said based on the thunderstorm warning issued by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), the phase is expected to occur from Thursday until July 20.
The phase, he said, would be accompanied by strong westerly winds at a speed of between 50 and 60kmh, with waves reaching a height of up to 4.5m.
“This is expected to occur in the waters off west and east Sabah,” he said in a statement here on Thursday (July 13).
“Strong winds of up to 60kmph and waves of up to 4.5m are extremely dangerous for small boats, passenger boats and marine recreational activities.
“Therefore, the maritime community is advised to be aware of the warnings that have been and will be issued by the security authorities from time to time,” he added.
First Admiral Che Engku said coastal communities are urged to prioritise the use of safety jackets in order to reduce any risk that may occur while out at sea.
“People are also reminded to always consider their personal safety besides informing their families the reason they needed to go out to sea as well as their locations.
“They must also ensure the boats they are using are safe while always being alert of the current weather,” he said.
In the event of an incident at sea, he said, the community should immediately contact the 24-hour Sabah and Labuan MMEA operations centre at 088-387 774 or the Malaysia Emergency Response Service (MERS) 999 number.
Many parts of Sabah's west coast were hit by flash floods following a five-hour downpour on Wednesday (July 12).
Besides flooding, landslips were also triggered with two houses damaged in the Telipok refugee settlement scheme near here although no one was hurt.
Five vehicles parked in a housing parking lot near Lintas here were also partially buried when debris fell on them during a landslide brought by the downpour late Wednesday.
In a statement, MetMalaysia said the bad weather was caused by a low pressure system developing in the west of the Philippines and moving in a north-westerly direction towards southern China.
MetMalaysia said the situation was expected to cause an increase in the speed and concentration of westerly winds in the waters off western Sabah and northern Sarawak until Saturday (July 15).
