KOTA KINABALU – Ten schools in four districts in Sabah are closed today due to severe flooding, as the number of flood victims evacuated this morning rises.
The Sabah Education Department announced the closure of the ten schools, Bernama reports.
Education Department director Datuk Raisin Saidin said the floods affected six schools in Penampang, two in Tuaran, and one each in Papar and Sipitang.
He said the schools are SK Sugut, SM St Michael, SK St Theresa Inobong, SK Kibabaig, SK St Joseph and SJKC Yue Min in Penampang.
“Other schools are SK Kelatuan in Papar and SJKC Sin Boon Sindumin in Sipitang. In Tuaran, the affected schools are SK Kauluan and SJKC Chung Hwa, Tenghilan,” he said when contacted by reporters today.
Raisin said the closure of these schools also affected 307 teachers.
Penampang is the worst affected district, where the number of flood victims increased to 112 people from 40 families this morning, compared to 78 people from 28 families last night.
All victims have been placed at the Penampang Cultural Centre, which has been turned into a relief centre as of yesterday, according to the Secretariat of the Sabah Disaster Management Committee.
Putatan district is also affected, with two families placed at the relief centre at Dewan Sri Putatan at 1am today.
Flooding followed continuous heavy rain since noon yesterday around Penampang, Putatan and near Kota Kinabalu.
Meanwhile, the body of a woman believed to be a flood victim was found near the Jalan Penampang bypass this morning.
Penampang district police chief Sammy Newton said the body of the 37-year-old woman was found at 8am today, and urged the public not to speculate on her death.
The body was found about 400m from the spot where she was last seen with her husband last night before flood waters swept her away. – July 1, 2024