KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 26): The floods in Sabah, Johor and Pahang worsened on Thursday morning (Jan 26), sending more people to relief centres, while Sarawak was the latest state to be hit by the disaster.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecast continuous rain in Kudat, Tawau, Sandakan, the west coast and the interior of Sabah, as well as Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor.

In Sabah, the number of flood evacuees had increased sharply to 6,313, compared with 1,421 on Wednesday night. A total of 26 relief centres were opened in five districts in the state.

The State Disaster Management Committee secretariat in a statement said Kota Marudu had the most number of evacuees at 4,784 from 1,731 families placed in 11 relief centres, while 761 people from 203 families were moved to three relief centres in Kudat.

Some 406 people from 162 families were evacuated to four relief centres in Pitas, followed by 344 from 88 families to seven centres in Paitan, while 18 from three families were sent to a centre at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Terusan in Lahad Datu, which was the latest district to be hit by the floods.

According to the statement, 153 people from 50 families who were previously evacuated to Rumah Ketua Kampung Sinasak Batu and Surau Kampung Sibuang were ordered to move to Sekolah Kebangsaan Pekan 2, due to the risk of being hit by floods.

In Johor, the number of flood evacuees in seven districts, namely Pontian, Kota Tinggi, Kluang, Segamat, Mersing, Batu Pahat and Muar, also rose to 5,455 at 55 relief centres, compared with 5,000 people on Wednesday night.

Segamat still has the highest number of evacuees at 1,801 from 504 families at 21 relief centres, followed by Kluang at 1,256 from 353 families at 12 centres, and Mersing at 1,153 from 347 families at seven centres.

The 738 evacuees from 179 families in Kota Tinggi are being housed at seven relief centres, followed by 272 from 74 families in Batu Pahat at four centres, 217 from 47 families in Muar at three centres, and 18 from four families in Pontian at one relief centre.

Meanwhile, the water level of Sungai Muar (the river mouth of Sungai Gemas) at 19.29 metres, Sungai Kahang (Kampung Contoh) at 15.99m and Sungai Endau at 2.62m were still above the danger mark.

In Pahang, flood evacuees in Rompin who were placed at three relief centres increased to 164 people from 49 families on Thursday morning, compared with 138 from 42 families on Wednesday night.

The State Disaster Management Committee secretariat reported that the Kampung Setajam relief centre had the highest number of evacuees at 117, followed by the Bukit Lepas community hall at 40, while seven were at the Bandar Perwira Jaya community hall.

The publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my website reported that Sungai Keratong in Rompin had exceeded the danger level at 24.75m, while MetMalaysia has predicted rain in Rompin throughout the day.

Meanwhile, Sarawak became the latest state to be hit by floods, with 53 people from 16 families evacuated to two relief centres, following heavy rain in the Lundu and Sematan districts late on Wednesday night.

They are being housed at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sebat and the Kampung Sebat Dayak community hall.

MetMalaysia also predicted thunderstorms occurring in several areas in Sarawak, including Kuching, Sri Aman, Betong, Kapit, Bintulu, Miri and Limbang until Thursday night.