Dire situation: An aerial view of a flooded community in Segamat, Johor. Heavy rains have left many districts badly affected. — Bernama
KOTA KINABALU: Majority of the 10,312 people at relief centres in Sabah have been allowed to return home after the flood situation significantly improved in the state.
According to the Civil Defence Force (APM) at 4pm yesterday, there were only 2,639 people remaining at 19 temporary flood relief centres in Paitan, Pitas and Lahad Datu.
More than 7,000 people were allowed to return home while shelters in the northern Kota Marudu district and Tawau east coast district were closed after the floodwaters receded.
The situation was also improving in Paitan, where two flood shelters were closed, while the condition in Pitas was still the same with 2,168 people still in relief centres there.
Earlier yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Sabah-Sarawak Affairs Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said Sabah was the worst-hit among four states badly affected, alongside Johor, Pahang and Terengganu.
Listening ear: Armizan (right) interacting with flood evacuees at a relief centre in Kota Marudu, Sabah.
Due to continuous heavy rain, he said, six districts in Johor, and one each in Pahang and Terengganu had been severely affected by floods.
According to a report by the National Disaster Control Centre (NDCC), under the coordination of the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), he said, the country was currently experiencing the third continuous episode of heavy rain, which started on Jan 19.
“The effects of the monsoon this time is expected to continue until Feb 4 and the weather forecast shows continuous rain is expected to be concentrated in the east of the peninsula as well as Sabah.
“Meanwhile, as previously announced, this northeasterly monsoon, which started at the beginning of November last year, is expected to last until March,” he said.
