KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Parks has warned climbers to take extreme caution when ascending Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia, due to the rainy season.
Kinabalu Park Panalaban Substation officer Julaimin Kamin reported that strong winds, continuous rain, and fog had affected the summit trail, with landslides and fallen trees adding to the hazards.
"Landslides have been reported at KM3.8, and fallen trees at KM1.6 and KM0.6," Julaimin shared on Sabah Parks' Facebook page on Thursday (Oct 24).
He assured that safety monitoring and maintenance work are being carried out regularly along the Mount Kinabalu trails.
"All climbers, guides, porters, and staff on the Summit Trail are advised to exercise extra caution at all times, particularly during climbs toward Panalaban."
Due to the adverse weather conditions, staff and Search and Rescue officials are on high alert.
On Wednesday (Oct 23), the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia) issued a warning about a tropical storm located 1,281km northeast of Kudat. The storm was causing continuous rain and strong winds across Sabah.
MET Malaysia's weather model analysis predicts that wind convergence in Sabah will persist until Sunday (Oct 27), which could lead to more rain in the affected areas.
