KUALA LUMPUR: A video posted on the Sabah Info Facebook page showing water gushing down from Mount Kinabalu after a heavy downpour yesterday has gone viral on social media.
The 33-second video caption describes how all climbers on the mountain were instructed to descend immediately following the heavy rains, strong winds and strong currents of water flowing down Southeast Asia's highest peak.
It said that at 8.43am yesterday (Sept 13), the climbers path to the mountain peak was closed because of bad weather conditions made worse by fog and strong currents of water gushing down the climbers path at Sayat-Sayat.
All climbers who managed to clear the path were instructed to immediately make their way down the mountain and they arrived safely at Panalaban accompanied by three Sabah Wildlife Parks Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel.
Netizens were shocked by the scenes depicted in the video showing strong currents of water gushing down the mountain.
One netizen with the username Yen Kerrin commented that people should abstain from taking part in outdoor activities during the monsoon season.
"Cut back on outdoor and adventure type activities during the rainy season which starts around this time in September until January. During this period there will be landslides, sinkholes, water surge phenomenon, strong waves and flash floods.
"We must look out and look after each other as lately there has been a lot of news on natural disasters here in Sabah and such incidents happen without warning. So it's best if we cut back on outdoor activities during this period."
Netizen Richat Patula expressed hope that all those who were up the mountain are safe and sound.
"Hopefully all the climbers and mountain guides are safe and out of harms way."
Duinihafiz Sipang, wrote: "How is it climbers were allowed to go up the mountain in such bad weather in the first place, there were no equipment to detect and warn of such bad weather over the mountain?"
Those of you there on Mount Kinabalu, please be careful as it is raining heavily there. May all of you be safe," commented Gobot Divas.
As of the time of publication, the video that was posted on Friday night has garnered close to 15,000 likes, close to 800 comments and 4,000 shares.