Sarawak is bracing for a wet Chinese New Year at the end of the month.

Bernama reported today that the National Security Division in the Prime Minister's Department has been placed on alert in anticipation of major floods lashing the state during the Chinese New Year holidays.

Its Assistant Director Mejar Ramil Musa said it would activate its state operations room to coordinate relief efforts should major floods hit the state.

The division would run the state disaster management and relief committee secretariat in Kuching through the relevant agencies in the event of floods or disasters, he said.

The secretariat would call for daily meetings to be chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Dr George Chan to update him on the latest situation and to ensure smooth coordination of relief operations, he told Bernama.

Dr Chan, who is also state disaster management and relief committee chairman, said yesterday that more than 80 flood-prone areas have been identified in Sarawak, mainly in Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei and Sibu.

Evacuees going home

Meanwhile, the situation in flood-hit Johor has improved, with nearly half of the evacuees returning home following dwindling floodwaters in the affected districts.

Bernama quoted a spokesman of the Johor police flood operations room as saying that only 708 evacuees were still at several relief centres.

In Johor Bahru, all 623 victims from 132 families in Kampung Laut Batu 10 Skudai returned home at 9.30am today.

They were sheltered at the Johor Baharu Tengah City Council hall.

In Muar, 33 people from four families temporarily housed at the Moakil Women Centre hall would return home this afternoon as floodwaters have receded.

However, in Segamat, the situation remained unchanged, with 521 victims from 112 families still seeking refuge at 13 relief centres.