Flood victims in Sabah and Sarawak climb to 1,706 people in evacuation centres, with Beaufort, Tenom, and Kota Belud among the worst-hit districts
KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood victims in Sabah and Sarawak has risen to 1,706 people sheltering in evacuation centres as of 8 am today.
In Sabah, evacuees increased sharply to 1,399 people from 488 families, up from 619 people yesterday afternoon.
The Sabah State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) reported eight relief centres are operating across three districts: Beaufort, Kota Belud, and Tenom.
Beaufort is the worst-hit area with 587 victims, followed by Tenom with 535 people and Kota Belud with 277.
“In Beaufort, 359 victims are housed at the Dewan Slagon Permanent Evacuation Centre (PPK) and 228 people at the Dewan Residensi PR1MA Woodford Estate Temporary Relief Centre (PPS),” the committee stated.
For Kota Belud district, 17 victims are at Dewan Kampung Lentigi, while the number at Dewan Masyarakat Tun Said has risen to 260.
In Tenom, four evacuation centres are open: Dewan Terbuka Labut 2 (154 people), Rumah Kebudayaan Kampung Ponontomon (217), Rumah Kebudayaan Mandalom Lama (120), and Rumah Kebudayaan Pantongan Saga (44).
No fatalities have been reported so far, with the disaster situation in Kota Belud continuing an upward trend.
In Sarawak, the number of flood victims at the PPS at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bekenu, Miri, increased to 307 people from 113 families.
This is up from 213 people from 73 families recorded yesterday afternoon.
Victims were evacuated from Kampung Kawang, Kampung Jenggalas, Kampung Rambai, Kampung Pintasan, Kampung Masjid, Kampung Kuala Lajung, Kampung Majelin, and Kampung Kelapa in Bekenu.
Meanwhile, in Johor, the number of flood victims remains at 27 people from nine families, with one evacuation centre still operating in Segamat.
JPBN chairman Datuk Asman Shah Abd Rahman said the PPS at Balai Raya Kampung Batu Badak has been housing victims from Kampung Seberang Batu Badak and Kampung Batu Lima since Dec 28.
“Sungai Muar at Buloh Kasap, Segamat, is at the alert level with a reading of 7.94 metres, while the Sungai Tekam Jetty in Segamat (3.57 m) is at the warning level,” he said in a statement.
He added all districts are experiencing fair weather except Muar, Batu Pahat, and Kulai, which are cloudy.
