KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — While the flood situation in Peninsular Malaysia has continued to improve, floods have worsened in Sabah and Sarawak, causing more people to be evacuated yesterday.
Sarawak was reported to be the latest state to experience floods following heavy rain since Monday, after Sabah was similarly hit on Tuesday.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued an alert for bad weather, with heavy rain forecast to continue in several areas in Sarawak until today.
The number of people evacuated to flood relief centres (PPS) in Sarawak rose sharply to 358 this afternoon from 32 yesterday morning.
The victims are housed at four PPS – Dewan Rekreasi Bimajaya, Dewan Serbaguna Taman Malihah, Rumah Kedai Batu Kawa and Dewan Serbaguna Kampung Batu 1.
In Sabah, the number of evacuees increased to 1,054, housed at eight PPS in Kota Marudu, Pitas and Beaufort.
Other states like Johor, Pahang and Kelantan have reported improvements with fewer victims at relief centres and no rain forecasted yesterday.
Nevertheless, MetMalaysia issued a warning of strong northeasterly winds with speeds exceeding 60 km/h and waves of more than 4.5 metres high in the waters off Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, east Johor and Sarawak, with the risk of waters overflowing the coastal areas and estuaries in these places.
In related developments, the plight of flood victims has continued to attract the attention of national leaders, who visited them and handed over aid.
Istana Negara’s official social media accounts reported that Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah yesterday visited flood victims in several villages in Temerloh district in Pahang, accompanied by Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
Also present were Al-Sultan Abdullah’s children Regent of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah and Tengku Arif Bendahara Tengku Muhammad Iskandar Ri’ayatuddin Shah.
— Bernama
