Number of flood victims in Sarawak rises while situation improves in Sabah, Johor, Pahang

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood victims in Sarawak rose to 1,826 this evening with 12 more relief centres were opened across the state, bringing the total to 33.

According to the Sawarak State Disaster Management Committee, Bau is the latest district to be hit by floods, with 71 evacuees in 11 centres, while Kuching recorded the highest number of evacuees with 1,179 people in 12 centres.

Meanwhile, the number of evacuees in Serian rose to 452 people in six centres, followed by Kota Samarahan (51 people in one centre), Simunjan (44 people in one centre) and Miri (29 people in two centres).

The flood situation in Sabah, Pahang and Johor, however, has improved, enabling the number of evacuees at relief centres to drop compared to this morning, with the exception of Pasir Mas, Kelantan, which remained unchanged.

In SABAH, the number of evacuees dropped to 712 people from 173 families as of 4 pm compared to 935 people from 336 families this morning.

The Sabah State Disaster Management Committee said in a statement that the evacuees are housed in eight centres in five districts, namely Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beaufort, Lahad Datu and Paitan.

A relief centre in Kudat, the Youth and Sports Arena, has been opened to house 73 evacuees from 13 families from two villages affected by tidal surges.

In PAHANG, the number of flood evacuees also dropped to 9,050 people in 112 centres compared to 11,422 people in 126 centres in the morning.

The Social Welfare Department Disaster Info website reported that Pekan had the highest number of evacuees, with 3,311 people, followed by Maran (2,075), Temerloh (1,618), Kuantan (853) Bera (780), Lipis (353), Jerantut (34) and Raub (26).

The water level of Sungai Pahang at two locations. Lubuk Paku, Maran and Serambi, Pekan as well as Sungai Jelai in Lipis, was still above the danger level.

In JOHOR, floods continued to recede as the number of evacuees at 10 centres in five districts dropped to 892 people from 276 families as of 3.30 pm compared to 2,943 people from 812 families this morning.

State Health and Environment Committee chairman R.Vidyananthan said Kota Tinggi still recorded the highest number of evacuees, 612 people from 165 families in five centres, followed by Johor Bahru (118 people, 72 families in two centres), Kluang (74 people, 17 families in one centre), Segamat (76 people, 20 families in one centre) and Batu Pahat (12 people, two families in one centre).

In KELANTAN, the number of evacuees in Pasir Mas remained at 32 as of 3 pm and based on the Social Welfare Disaster Info app, all the evacuees, including a baby boy, are housed at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tok Deh.

The infobanjir.water.gov.my website, meanwhile, reported that the water level of Sungai Golok in Kuala Jambu still exceeded the danger level, at 2.52 metres.

-- BERNAMA