PITAS: Five primary schools in Pitas and Beluran were temporarily closed due to the floods, affecting a total of 930 students and 89 teachers.
State Education Department director Datuk Maimunah Suhaibul said the schools were SK Sosop, SK Kusilad, SK Simpangan, SK Bawang and SK Kabuluh.
According to Maimunah, these schools had to be closed because the pathways and the buildings were flooded.
As of 1.15pm yesterday, the water level in Kebatasan River reached 5.8 metres (warning level 5.5 metres) and 3.83 metres (warning level three metres) in Bengkoka River.
There was a slight decrease compared to the water level on Tuesday, whereby these two rivers reached 5.87 metres and 3.94 metres respectively.
Kampung Salimpodon Laut, Salimpodon Darat, Sumbilingon, Dandut Darat and Layang were among the five villages that were affected by the flood.
Jalan Kabatasan heading towards Dandun was also closed due to the flood.
As of yesterday, the weather appeared to be cloudy and sunny and evacuation centers would not be opened yet.
Sabah Malaysia Civil Defence Force (APM) director Colonel Mulliadi Al-Hamdi Ladin said Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kusilad and SK Sosop in Pitas were still closed due to floods following continuous rain since Monday evening.
“Three schools which prior to this were closed, namely, SK Pinggan-Pinggan, SK Kesegaan and SK Dallas are open as normal,” he said in a statement yesterday.
On floods in five villages, namely, Kampung Salimpodon Laut, Kampung Salimpodon Darat, Kampung Sumbilingon, Kampung Dandung Darat and Kampung Layang, Mulliadi said the sea water level had dropped but it was still drizzling.
As of 8am yesterday, Sungai Kebatasan was still above the warning level of 5.5 metres while the water level in Sungai Bengkoka was at 3.65 metres, above the danger mark of 3.0 metres.
“No relief centre has been officially opened to date,” Mulliadi said.