BEAUFORT: Three villages here have been put on alert after the water level in Padas River rose to 9.10 metres at 10am yesterday, which was above the danger point of 8.70 metres.
Kg Balibata, Kg Lumatai and Kg Bakalau are affected with several houses submerged in water since this morning.
Secretary of the Beaufort district disaster committee, Jupri Etok said an evacuation centre had been opened since yesterday for the possible relocation of flood victims.
“The three villages are on alert and being closely watched, as the water level has reached the floor of some of the stilt houses in the villages,” he told Bernama today.
He said firemen as well as soldiers from Lokawi Camp had been on standby since yesterday noon to prepare for a possible disaster as happened last year.
The water level in the river continued to rise since 1am Thursday from 8.98 metres (warning point) to 9.10 metres at 10am, today.
“It was 7.56 metres at 8am yesterday before it rose to the danger mark. We are keeping a close watch on the water level. As of now, no villagers have been relocated,” Jupri said.
He said a reminder had been issued to schools in the villages to immediately inform the committee for assistance, as the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia examinations were still going on.
In TENOM, the third wave of floods which hit three villages since yesterday, has receded and the situation returned to normal as of this morning.
District officer Maditem Layapan said the three affected villages were Ulu Temani, Ponontomon and Pantungan Sapon.
However, he reminded residents to be alert and to relocate to safer ground if the weather condition worsened.
“This is the third time Tenom has experienced floods this year. The first was in February and again in May,” he said.
The water level at the Pangi Dam in the district was below the danger point today, with the reading at 171.95 metres. — Bernama