Flood victims rise in Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: The number of flood victims housed at temporary relief centres (PPS) in Sabah increased.
Their numbers rose to 627 individuals from 188 families who had been evacuated to 13 relief centres in three districts, compared to 599 people from 183 families yesterday morning.
In a statement, the Sabah Disaster Management Committee Secretariat said Telupid district recorded the highest number of victims with 454 individuals from 130 families, followed by Paitan with 128 individuals from 46 families whereas there are 45 victims from 12 families in Lahad Datu.
In the same statement, the secretariat also said it expected the number of flood victims in Telupid and Paitan to rise whereas the number in Lahad Datu will remain unchanged.
In Beaufort, Keningau and Beluran, 169 people have been evacuated from their homes and taken to four temporary flood relief centres.
A spokesperson from the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department said 57 people from Dewan Selagon in Beaufort, which was converted into a temporary flood relief center, were evacuated as it was flooded due to heavy rain on Wednesday.
The flood victims: seven men, 16 women, four senior citizens, 16 boys, 13 girls and a baby girl, were relocated to Dewan Selagon, another temporary flood relief center in Beaufort.
Meanwhile, 112 people from 19 families from Kampung Mempulut in Keningau were evacuated from their homes and placed at a temporary flood relief center at Dewan Kg Membulu.
Twelve people from Kg Perancangan Sapi Nangoh in Beluran have also being evacuated from their home and currently placed at Perancangan Biru-Biru temporary flood relief center in Beluran, while another 12 people from Kg Terasak in Beluran were also evacuated from their home and taking shelter at Masjid Nangoh.
No untoward incident was reported and fire and rescue personnel are monitoring the flood situation, said the spokesperson.
At the same time, the Sabah Works Department in a statement said Jalan Randagong Himbaan in Ranau was impassable to all vehicles due to mud floods, and people are advised to use an alternative road, Jalan Tenompok Bundu Tuhan.
“The mud floods were caused following continuous heavy rain, and cleaning-up work is being carried out,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, over a thousand students and teachers remain affected by floods that hit parts of Sabah since last year.
As of Feb 1, the number of students affected by floods stood at 1,355 with a total of 137 teachers affected as well.
Sabah Education Department deputy director Abidin Marjan said the affected students and teachers were from schools in Beluran and Beaufort districts.
In Beluran, the schools affected are SK Sualok, SK Tagas-Tagas and SMK Pamai whereas in Beaufort, the schools affected are SK Jabang, SK Bangkalalak, SK Suasa and SK Lago.
“Students here are affected because of flood waters sealing off roads leading to these schools. One school is being used as a temporary relief centre as well,” he said.