KOTA KINABALU: The number of flood victims in Sabah surged to 1,243 individuals from 375 families as of 4 pm today, compared to 392 people from 126 families at 8 am.

The Sabah State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat, in a statement, said Beaufort is a new district where evacuations have taken place, with 116 people from 38 families relocated to the Permanent Relief Centre in Selagon.

According to the statement, in Sook district, 1,127 people from 337 families have been relocated to five Temporary Relief Centres (PPS), namely Dewan Datuk Ellron Agin (494 people, 148 families), Dewan Masyarakat Sook (241 people, 63 families), Dewan Sekolah Kebangsaan Pekan Keningau 2 (206 people, 64 families), Dewan Kampung Ansip Tengah (117 people, 39 families) and Balai Raya Kampung Molosok Dalit (69 people, 23 families).

“A total of nine villages in Sook and two villages in Beaufort have been affected by the flood disaster.

“In addition to Beaufort, Sipitang is the latest district hit by floods, and one PPS - Dewan Sekolah Kebangsaan Padang Berampah - has been opened. However, the evacuation process is still underway and information is being updated,” it said.