Number of flood victims in Sabah, Pahang on the rise, Johor improving

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 (Bernama) -- The number of flood victims in Sabah and Pahang continue to rise while the situation in Johor is getting better as of 8 pm today.

In SABAH, the number of evacuees rose to 10,312 people from 3,564 families as of 8 pm and have been placed in 33 temporary relief centres in five districts, compared to 8,523 people from 2,966 families earlier today.

The Sabah State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said in a statement that Kota Marudu still has the highest number of evacuees, with 7,358 people from 2,553 families placed at 12 centres.

It added that 2,160 people (795 families) are housed at nine centres in Pitas while 664 victims (187 families) have been evacuated to nine centres in Paitan.

In Tawau, a total of 109 people (24 families) have been moved to one centre while 21 people (five families) were evacuated to two centres in Telupid.

“The number of flood victims in Pitas is expected to increase while that in three other districts is expected to remain the same. In Telupid, the number is expected to drop,” the statement added.

In PAHANG, the number of flood victims in Rompin increased to 353 people (106 families) tonight, compared to 327 (99 families) this afternoon.

The Social Welfare Department’s (JKM) Disaster Info application reported that the number of flood victims at the Kampung Setajam centre remained at 165, the Kampung Rekoh centre (122 victims) and Bukit Lepas Community Hall (40 victims) while another centre was opened this evening at the Kampung Denai Community Hall with 26 victims.

The water level at Sungai Keratong in Rompin exceeded the danger level of 23 metres (m) when it reached 24.54m tonight, with a downward trend.

In JOHOR, the flood situation in the state is improving as of 8 pm, with the number of evacuees dropping to 3,328 people compared to 3,676 people at 2 pm.

The Johor SDMC said in a statement tonight that Muar has fully recovered from floods, leaving only six districts - Segamat, Kota Tinggi, Mersing, Kluang, Tangkak and Batu Pahat - still affected by the disaster.

According to the statement, a total of 35 centres are still activated in Mersing, which remains the worst-hit district affecting 1,792 people, followed by Kluang (780), Kota Tinggi (417), Batu Pahat (209), Segamat (115) and Tangkak (15).

Meanwhile, five rivers in the state have also surpassed the danger level, namely Sungai Lenik in Ladang Chaah, Segamat with a reading of 6.43m; Sungai Muar at Sungain Gemas, Segamat (19.08m); Sungai Kahang in Kampung Contoh, Kluang (15.42m); Sungai Muar in Bukit Kepong, Muar (3.35m); and Sungai Endau, Mersing (2.83m).

-- BERNAMA