Flash flood destroys Pos Brooke suspension bridge, isolating over 100 Orang Asli families

On the afternoon of October 21, a sudden flash flood accompanied by a mudflow caused the Kampung Brooke Lama suspension bridge over Sungai Belatop in Pos Brooke to collapse. Headman Rian Bujang said rain started at roughly 4 pm, and the flood struck at about 5.30 pm, overwhelming the bridge with strong, muddy currents that broke its concrete supports. The 2008-built bridge was the primary link to Sekolah Kebangsaan Pos Brooke and the Pos Brooke Health Clinic, and its failure isolated more than 100 Temiar Orang Asli residents, disrupting school commutes and medical access.

Affected families now must use a detour through Kampung Liak and Kuala Rengil, while roughly 44 households have been identified as needing assistance. JAKOA director Mohd Faedzyal Mohamed reported that the department has alerted the Disaster Operations Control Centre for emergency support, and some residents are taking refuge in the JAKOA office hall. The bridge had drawn attention from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in 2023 over safety concerns, prompting Kesedar and JAKOA to plan repairs that were not completed before the disaster.