Number of flood evacuees rise in Sabah, Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood evacuees in Sabah continued to rise drastically this afternoon after heavy rains caused several rivers to break their banks.

According to the Sabah State Disaster Management Committee, the number of evacuees in relief centres rose to 332 as of 4 pm compared to 67 this morning and five more centres were opened today, four in Tenom district and one in Sipitang, bringing the number of active centres in the state to eight.

The five centres in Tenom are Kalang Kanar cultural house (26 evacuees), Kalibatang Lama cultural house (34), Mamaitom cultural house (11), Marias cultural house (72) and Dewan Gereja (RC) Kampung Bangkulin (54).

"There are also 90 evacuees at Dewan DP Mohd Dun Banir centre while 41 people have been placed at the centre in Kampung Pauh, Sook Keningau since yesterday. The centre at Dewan Sindumin Sipitang, meanwhile, has four evacuees," the statement read.

In SARAWAK, the number of flood evacuees in the Lawas district rose to 79 as of this evening compared to 48 this morning.

According to a statement by the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee, all the evacuees are housed at two relief centres at Dewan Masyarakat Trusan and Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (Cina) Chung Hua Trusan after several areas in the district were flooded since last night.

-- BERNAMA