FLOOD SITUATION WORSENS IN SABAH, JOHOR RECOVERS FROM DISASTER

17 JAN 2021

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood victims in Sabah continued to rise, while the situation in Pahang and Sarawak was improving with a decline in the number of evacuees. Meanwhile, Johor has fully recovered from the disaster as of this evening. In SABAH, the number of flood victims as of 4 pm has increased to 348 people from 91 families compared to 176 victims from 43 families this morning, with all of them placed in nine temporary evacuation centres.

According to a statement from the Sabah State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat, the Kota Belud district was again hit by floods with 34 people evacuated to relief centres at Dewan Tun Said, while Masjid Jamek in Kota Kinabalu accommodated 62 people and 39 individuals were placed at Dewan Likas. “The other seven districts hit by floods are Pitas with 45 people evacuated, Beaufort (32 people), Paitan (73), Putatan (25) and Penampang (38), while in Tuaran and Papar no one has been evacuated so far. “However, the flood water levels in Tuaran and Papar continued to rise this afternoon with the rain still continuing and severe weather warnings have been issued throughout the day. Evacuations are expected to continue to increase,” the statement said.

In PAHANG, the flood situation in Temerloh and Bera recovered when the last three evacuation centres in the district were closed this evening. The Social Welfare Department's Disaster Info portal reported that the relief centres, namely the Temerloh Community College which housed two people, while in Bera it involved Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Charuk Puting (22 people) and Masjid Kampung Mengkarak (32 people). The development brings the total number of flood victims in Pahang as of 2.30 pm today to 3,107 people from 861 families who are still in 34 relief centres, with Pekan recording the highest number of 2,050 people followed by Kuantan (715 people) and Maran (342 people).

Meanwhile in SARAWAK, the number of evacuees at relief centres continues to decrease with 1,208 people so far compared to 1,870 this morning. The Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee in its latest report said 12 evacuation centres were still operating in the three flood-hit areas since Wednesday. The Serian division recorded the highest number of evacuees involving 1,088 people at 10 relief centres, followed by Kuching (113 people in one centre) and Miri (seven people in a centre). In JOHOR, the flood situation fully recovered after the last two evacuation centres, in Segamat and Batu Pahat respectively closed at 2 pm today. Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said all 76 people involving 20 families from Kampung Seberang Batu Badak, Segamat who were placed at Sekolah Agama Gemereh relief centre were allowed to return to their homes. “Also allowed to return were 17 people from three families from Kampung Talang Bunut, Parit Raja in Batu Pahat who were housed at the relief centre at SK Seri Bunut, Parit Raja,’ he said in a statement. - Bernama