2,700 evacuated due to floods

Picking up the pieces: Flood victims Rosli Taib and wife Ramlah Kassim looking through their belongings taken from their home in Kampong Belimbing, following flash floods on Sunday morning.

KUCHING: Over 2,000 people have been evacuated as heavy rain brought floods to parts of Kuching and Bau districts.

As of 2pm yesterday, the number of eva­cuees had risen to 2,679, compared to 765 on Monday night.

State Civil Defence Department (JPAM) public relations officer Siti Huzaimah Ibrahim said the flood victims had been moved to 21 relief centres – 14 in Kuching and five in Bau.

Seven of the centres were opened on Monday night as more rain fell while two more were opened yesterday morning.

Deputy State Secretary Datuk Misnu Taha said the weather was expected to improve by the end of the week.

“According to the Meteorological Department’s forecast, the rain will lessen over the next few days until Friday. The Drainage and Irrigation Department’s telemetry stations also showed light rain in most parts of Sarawak, unlike the heavy rain over the last few days,” he told reporters after chairing a state disaster management committee meeting yesterday.

He cautioned that water levels could rise again during high tide and advised residents in low-lying areas to be on the alert.

“The public can contact JPAM if they observe the water level rising. The Welfare Department is also ready to deliver food to relief centres,” he said.

In Malacca, the flood situation continued to improve as only 119 flood victims remained at Sekolah Kebangsaan Belimbing Dalam, Durian Tunggal, Alor Gajah.

All other relief centres have been closed as flood water receded yesterday.

In Johor, only one relief centre remained open at SK Sepang Loi in Segamat, which housed 10 people from two families.

All other relief centres in Tangkak were closed yesterday evening as situation returned to normal.