FLOOD SITUATION IN THREE STATES WORSENS

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 (Bernama) -- The flood situation in Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak has worsened, with the number of evacuees seeking shelter at flood relief centres rising, as of 8 am today.

In JOHOR, the number of evacuees surged to 10,763, from 3,018 families, currently housed in 98 relief centres across five affected districts.

State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) chairman Tan Sri Dr Azmi Rohani said that Johor Bahru recorded the highest number of evacuees, at 4,291, followed by Kluang (2,163), Kota Tinggi (1,762), Pontian (1,395), and Kulai (1,152).

In SABAH, the state JPBN Secretariat said that the number of those displaced by floods rose to 1,248, from 396 families, currently housed in 11 relief centres.

“A total of 14 villages were affected - five in Kota Marudu, two each in Sandakan, Beluran, Paitan and Matunggong, and one in Pitas. A rise in evacuees was recorded only in Kota Marudu this morning, while the numbers in other districts remained unchanged,” it said, in a statement.

In SARAWAK, three new relief centres have been opened to accommodate the rising number of evacuees, which now stands at 274.

According to the Sarawak JPBN, the first relief centre at Balai Raya Song, which opened yesterday, is now sheltering 198 individuals.

Meanwhile, three newly opened relief centres are Asrama Belia Kapit, which shelters 31 evacuees; Dewan Kompleks Sukan Kanowit (38); and Dewan Komuniti Sibu Jaya (7).

-- BERNAMA