Evacuation numbers continue to surge in Malaysia’s flood-hit Sabah, Sarawak

The number of evacuees at flood relief centres in Malaysia’s Sabah and Sarawak states has continued to rise, reaching a total of 15,015 this morning, up from 11,886 last night.

The ongoing floods have forced thousands to seek refuge at temporary shelters as the situation in both states worsens, Caliber.Az reports citing Malaysian media.

In Sarawak, the number of evacuees increased significantly, with 9,398 individuals from 2,725 families now housed at relief centres, up from 7,503 evacuees last night. The highest concentration of evacuees is in Bintulu, where 4,021 people from 1,090 families are being sheltered at six centres.

Following closely is Serian, with 1,886 evacuees (602 families) spread across 15 centres. Other affected areas in Sarawak include Selangau, where 900 people from 226 families are staying at four centres, and Tatau, which is housing 1,353 people from 393 families at three centres. Kuching also continues to manage the sheltering of 475 people from 153 families at three relief centres.

Meanwhile, in Sabah, the number of evacuees rose to 5,617 from 1,899 families as of 8 a.m., compared to 4,383 evacuees from 1,475 families the previous night. A total of 39 relief centres have been activated across 10 districts.

Kota Marudu recorded the highest number of evacuees, with 2,944 people from 1,090 families taking shelter in various centres.

Other affected districts include Pitas with 768 evacuees (261 families), Lahad Datu (443 people from 121 families), Telupid (413 people from 110 families), Kota Belud (301 people from 88 families), Paitan (274 people from 99 families), Beluran (195 people from 60 families), Sandakan (118 people from 28 families), Beaufort (107 people from 29 families), and Tongod (54 people from 13 families).

The situation remains fluid, with the evacuation trend in Kota Marudu, Pitas, and Paitan showing signs of further increases, while the numbers in other districts have largely stabilized. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as heavy rainfall and rising waters persist, urging residents to stay alert and follow safety protocols.

In 2023, the economic impact of the floods that swept across Malaysia amounted to 755.4 million ringgit ($161.4 million), representing approximately 0.04 per cent of the country’s GDP.

By Vafa Guliyeva