KOTA KINABALU: Five relief centres were closed in the flood-affected districts of Pitas and Beluran today after the number of evacuees dropped from 624 yesterday to 228 this morning.
As of 8am, one centre in Beluran and four centres in Pitas were closed, leaving one still in operation Beluran with 45 victims, and two in Pitas with 183 victims collectively.
Sabah Civil Defence Director Colonel Muliadi Al-Hamdi Ladin said water levels at Sungai Kebatasan and Sungai Bengkoka in Pitas have reduced, while Sungai Labuk in Beluran has remained unchanged.
“It is currently sunny in Pitas and water levels reduced due to better weather, while Beluran is currently cloudy with light rain in some areas,” he said.
In SARAWAK, Bernama reports that fourteen primary schools in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri are closed today due to the floods in the state.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee secretariat from the Civil Defence Force Major Ismail Mahedin said the school closures affect 1,232 students.
They are Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Bukit Balai, SK Kuala Sigu, SK Genaan, SK Bukit Mawang, SK Kuala Binyo, SK Long Sobeng, SK Kuala Bok, SK Long Luyang, SK Ulu Segan, SK Sg Anak, SK St Dunstan, SK St Swithun, SK Long Jegan and SK Long Teran Kanan.
However, there have been no evacuations.
In SELANGOR, Bernama reports that the number of flood victims at three evacuation centres in Sabak Bernam district increased to 364 people (from 105 families) as at 8am today, from 352 people last night.
A spokesman at the Sabak Bernam Disaster Operations Room said the number of victims at Dewan Sri Bernam, Sungai Besar, increased to 161 people (from 46 families), from 151 victims (from 42 families) last night.
The number of flood victims at the evacuation centre in Dewan Seri Nakhoda, Bagan Nakhoda Omar, remains at 32 people (from eight families).
The spokesman said the Selangor Drainage and Irrigation Department have provided four pumps to help transfer stagnant flood waters to the sea.
"Several areas, like Kampung Parit 5, Parit Baru, and Sungai Tengar, are submerged under about 0.3 metre of water, and the residents cannot go out to sea," he added.