KOTA KINABALU: Two temporary flood relief centres in northern Sabah have been closed due to improving weather conditions but victims of the king tide phenomenon remain at shelters.
The Sabah Disaster Relief Committee secretariat in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 28) said that the SJK(C) Chung Hwa and SK Pekan (Kota Belud) relief centres were closed and all flood victims have returned home.
However, evacuees from coastal villages in the northern Pitas and Sandakan districts remain in seven temporary shelters.
It said that a total of 298 families involving 1,454 people were in six relief centres in Pitas and in one temporary shelter in Sandakan.
Over 100 wooden stilt houses in the squatter colony of Kg Forest were destroyed by the king tides on Dec 24 and most residents were given shelter at the SK Sungai Anib 2 hall.
Authorities are remaining vigilant during the current king tide phenomenon that is expected to last till the end of the year.
King tides occur when Earth is closest to both the moon and Sun, a twice-a-year occurrence during the Winter and Summer solstices. Tides can rise 30cm or more above the normal high tide levels.
