After almost 3 weeks, Sugud villagers still living without water and in darkness

 By Olivia Miwil - October 3, 2021 @ 3:34pm

Sugud villagers using donated pipe to source for graviti water. Since the flooding on Sept 15, villagers have been living without water and electricity. - NSTP/ OLIVIA MIWIL

PENAMPANG: It has been almost a month since the Sugud area here was severely affected by flooding and mudslides, but some residents have yet to recover from the disaster.

Villagers in Kampung Tangasaan, Kampung Koidupan and Kampung Mokintup are surviving with bottled water donated by the public and spending the night in the dark.

Due to lack of machinery, some of the villagers are still facing problems to clear the mud from their house or the road.

Michael Basol, 55, said the three villages are located less than 30 minutes from the town but their application for treated water was never approved by the authority.

"All this while, the 300 people have been relying on gravity water but the system was damaged by the recent flooding.

"Before we received these poly pipes, villagers had to bathe or do their cleaning at the stream here and drink bottled water," he said.

The villagers are hoping for more donations for the piping system that connects to the water catchment in the forest.

The water gravity pipe system was not the only thing that was swept away during the Sept 15 disaster as several people also lost their homes.

On that day, Maidol Paulim, 68, witnessed his house being destroyed within a few minutes. He and his family escaped in time and were safe.

The father of four, whose left leg was amputated due to a workplace accident, was happy when the Osimal Foundation offered to build a house that can be completed within a week using the Industrialised Building System (IBS).

IBS is a construction technique whereby components are manufactured in a controlled environment, either at site or off site, and later placed and assembled into construction works.

"We are currently staying at a relative's house since the flood. I cannot wait for this building to be completed," he said, adding his wife who works as a cleaner, is the only breadwinner of the family.