The number of flood victims in Sarawak dropped this afternoon, but the number of those seeking shelter in Sabah flood relief centres increased.

In SARAWAK, 3,400 victims in 14 centres were recorded this afternoon, compared to 5,631 people across 38 centres in the morning.

A Sarawak National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson said 19 flood relief centres in the Kuching division had been closed since morning, leaving only two centres operating, with 766 remaining victims.

The spokesperson said three relief centres in the Samarahan division currently housed 1,318 victims, whereas six relief centres in the Limbang division placed 1,216 flood victims.

The spokesperson added that in Mukah there were 69 victims in two flood relief centres, whereas in Miri, the number of victims remained at 31, housed in one relief centre in the Long Panai area.

In SABAH, the number of flood victims continued to rise to 2,394 people from 1,008 families from three districts in the state, compared to 1,556 people recorded this morning.

Beaufort district officer Mohd Shahid Othman said the number of victims placed in three relief centres in the district was 1,218 people from 397 families.

In the subdistrict of Membakut, 1,116 flood victims have been placed in four relief centres as of this afternoon, rising from 598 earlier this morning.

Membakut assistant district officer Sarudin Ismail said however, that the number of victims placed in another four relief centres opened this afternoon was still being finalised.

Sipitang assistant district officer Matlin Dullah said the number of victims in the district remained at 60 people from 13 families.    

In KELANTAN and PERAK, the number of victims remained the same as reported earlier this morning, at 255 and 77 people respectively.

Meanwhile, NSC deputy secretary (security management) Ogu Salim Omar said the NSC was fully prepared in the event that flood situations in Sabah and Sarawak were to worsen.

He said the council had held discussions and meetings with the related agencies prior to this on preparations to face flood situations.

“The meetings were held before the monsoon period, and we feel all the preparations are sufficient based on our experience of facing the floods in Sarawak last year,” he told reporters when met at the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Petaling Jaya today.

- Bernama