KOTA KINABALU (Bernama): Incessant rain that started late Tuesday (Aug 31) and lasted until Wednesday (Sept 1) has caused flooding in 45 villages in Beaufort and 15 villages in Membakut.

       The Beaufort District Disaster Management Secretariat said in a statement on Thursday (Sept 2) that no one needed to be evacuated so far, but one relief centre had been opened at Dewan DSP Mohd Dun Banir as a precaution.

       Among the affected villages in Beaufort were Binunuk, Balibata, Simpang Empat, Bakalau, Sungkadan, Melalugus, Batandok Lubak, Melati and Lumatai; while in Membakut the affected areas included Kampung Bambangan, Sinoko, Sindok, Baitam Ulu, Baitam Laut and Baitam Baru.

       “Continuous downpour in Beaufort, Tenom and the Ulu Membakut area has led to the rise in water level of Sungai Membakut as well as Sungai Padas in two districts.

       “Two gates of the Pangi Hydro Dam had to be opened to reduce the quantity of water in the dam, causing the water in Sungai Padas to reach a dangerous level and following that, the Disaster Operations Control Centre was activated yesterday (Sept 1),” the secretariat said.

       The floods also affected 59 roads in the districts, including Jalan Kampung Binunuk, Jalan Pekan Lama Membakut, Jalan Kampung Baitam Baru, Jalan Kampung Suasa and Jalan Kampung Kangsa.

       Also hit were 11 schools, including three in the Membakut district, namely Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Bambangan, SK Sinoko and SK Pekan Membakut. – Bernama