On 5-8 November 2017, the DPPC team took on a field mission in Sabah with 2 key purposes:
(a) to promote the DPPC program to the local DRM stakeholders for possible joint activities and
(b) to conduct field survey to formulate a research project on effective low-cost early warning system (EWS) for flood and landslide disasters. This fieldwork was conducted with support from the Civil Defense Force (APM) Sabah.
APM Sabah introduced the SAIFON (Security and Integrated Flood Network System), which has been helping the implement effective preparedness and response actions during flooding events. The actual infrastructure was observed in Kota Belud where local residents have been experiencing unprecedented flash floods, possibly due to the debris left from the Mount Kinabalu earthquake in 2015.
Possibilities of joint research were suggested at the meeting with the Minerals and Geoscience Department (JMG) Sabah. While JMG Sabah already has produced landslide risk maps of key locations in the state, it has not been shared widely with other DRM stakeholders. Conducting studies in the Labo-labo trench as well as landslide EWS were suggested as possible topics of collaboration.
The discussion with Sabah State Government revealed the high awareness in DRRM of the state that has been experiencing multi-hazard events just in the past few years. Sabah State is also aiming to become a Smart State in ICT and therefore has been a strong advocator of the SAIFON project delegated to the APM office.
The DPPC team continued with field visits in Kota Kinabalu (flood inundation area), Kudasang (earthquake affected area) and Ranau (landslide area). In addition, an informal meeting was conducted with the team from the Civil Engineering Department, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) hosted by the Dean, Prof. Ir. Dr. Abdul Karim Bin Mirasa.
