Flood evacuees in Sabah, Sarawak continue to increase

KUALA LUMPUR: The situation in flood-hit areas in Sabah and Sarawak has worsened, with Sabah recording 1,447 evacuees and Sarawak registering 350 as at this morning.

Sabah had 332 flood victims while Sarawak recorded 79 as at yesterday evening.

The Sabah State Disaster Management Committee, in a statement today, said Tenom was the worst hit district with 1,149 flood victims, followed by Beaufort (294) and Sipitang (four).

Nine flood relief centres have been opened in Tenom, with Dewan Sri Ontoros housing 476 people, Rumah Kebudayaan Angalor (226), Dewan Mini Jinuin Jimin (160), Rumah Kebudayaan Pamaluyan (88), Rumah Kebudayaan Marias (72), Dewan Gereja (RC) Kampung Bangkulin (55), Rumah Kebudayaan Kalibatang Lama (34), Rumah Kebudayaan Kalang Kanar (26) and Rumah Kebudayaan Mamaitom (12).

All the 294 victims in Beaufort were placed at Dewan DP Mohd Dun Banir while those in Sipitang were moved to Dewan Sindumin Sipitang.

"The number of evacuees is on the rise because several districts have been flooded and rescue teams are in the process of moving the victims to relief centres," it said.

The committee said heavy rains had been lashing these areas, causing rivers to burst their banks and submerge several roads and villages.

In Sarawak, the Secretariat of the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee said all the flood victims were housed at five relief centres in Lawas and Limbang districts.

The evacuation centres are at Dewan Masyarakat Trusan, Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (Cina) Chung Hua Trusan, Sekolah Kebangsaan Sundar and Sekolah Kebangsaan Lintang in Lawas and Dewan Medamit in Limbang.

Floods hit several areas in Lawas and Limbang following continual heavy rains since Wednesday night.

In Melaka, the situation has improved with just one flood evacuation centre still open.

Malaysian Civil Defence Force Melaka director Lt Kol Cuthbert John Martin Quadra said the centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Ayer Molek was housing 33 people from six families as at 8 am today, while that at SK Demang Husin closed last night after the 29 evacuees there returned home.

There were 133 victims from 33 families at the two relief centres as at 4 pm yesterday.

-- BERNAMA