A massive high tide late yesterday evening and early today has caused floods in several places in the Kuching, Bau and Serian districts, forcing more people out of their flooded homes.

Sarawak Civil Defence Department public relations officer Siti Huzaimah Ibrahim said the number of evacuees at relief centres in these districts had shot up to 5,578 as at 8am today, from 3,230 last night.

Siti Huzaimah said the evacuees were being accommodated at 21 centres in Kuching, five in Bau and two in Serian.

She said the level of Sungai Sarawak was receding this morning, but the floodwaters in the affected areas remained stagnant for now.

Yesterday's evacuees near Kuching City came from Batu Kitang, Kampung Bintawa, Kampung Panglima Seman, Batu Kawa, Tupong Jaya and Kampung Pulo.

Although the intermittent rain in many areas of Sarawak seemed to have eased off, the high tide was the reason for the floodwaters to recede slowly.

The relevant agencies such as the Civil Defence Department, Fire and Rescue Service, Police, People's Volunteer Corps (Rela), Social Welfare Department, Health Department, the Resident's Office and Sarawak National Security Council had been on standby over the past several days.

- Bernama