KOTA KINABALU (May 4): The number of flood victims in Sabah has dropped to 1,526 people from 455 families as of 4 pm on Sunday, compared to 1,541 people from 472 families in the morning.

According to a statement by the Sabah Disaster Management Committee Secretariat, the remaining flood victims comprise 1,266 people (377 families) who are at four relief centres (PPS) in the Sook district and 260 people (78 families) who are at the Selagon permanent evacuation centre (PPK).

All the flood victims in Sipitang have been allowed to return home, and the PPS at Dewan Sekolah Kebangsaan Padang Berampah where they were accommodated, has been closed.

Meanwhile, the remaining flood victims in Sook are being accommodated at the PPS at Dewan Datuk Ellron Agin (671 people), Dewan Masyarakat Sook (272), Dewan Sekolah Kebangsaan Pekan Keningau 2 (206), and Dewan Kampung Ansip Tengah (117).

“A total of 19 villages are still affected by the floods, 10 in Beaufort and nine villages in Sook, read the statement.

Eight people were rescued from a flood in Beaufort on Sunday.

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson said a team rushed to Kampung Batu 4, Padas Valley upon being informed at 1.20pm, where three women, one man, two girls and two boys were stranded.

The team proceeded to relocate the victims to the temporary relief centre at Selangon Hall using a Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (Yapeim) boat and a Fire and Rescue Department lorry.

“Firefighters are constantly monitoring the flood situation at affected areas,” added the spokesperson.

Sekretariat Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Sabah dalam kenyataan memaklumkan 1,268 orang daripada 377 keluarga di Sook masih berlindung di empat pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS).

PPS itu ialah Dewan Datuk Ellron Agin yang menempatkan 671 mangsa, Dewan Masyarakat Sook (272), Dewan Sekolah Kebangsaan Pekan Keningau 2 (208) dan Dewan Kampung Ansip Tengah (117).

Di Beaufort, 359 mangsa daripada 111 keluarga dipindahkan ke pusat pemindahan kekal (PPK) Selagon.

“Sebanyak 19 kampung masih terjejas banjir, iaitu 10 di Beaufort dan sembilan di Sook.”

BEIJING (AP): Two boats carrying roughly 70 people capsized in the Wu river in China's southwestern Guizhou province Sunday afternoon, leaving about 20 people missing.

As of Sunday evening, rescuers had gotten 50 people out of the water, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Rescuers were still looking for others late Sunday in Guizhou's Qianxi area.

In one video, shared by state media a man could be seen performing CPR on another person lying on the boat. 

The bottom of one of the capsized boats could be seen as the vessel drifted upside down.

An eyewitness told state-backed Beijing News that the waters were deep but some people had managed to swim to safety. 

However, the storm had come on suddenly and a thick mist obscured the surface of the river. - AP

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a warning of thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong winds in seven states and the Federal Territory of Putrajaya, until noon today.

MetMalaysia, in a statement, said that the warning covers the entire Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, and Selangor, specifically in the districts of Sabak Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Klang, Petaling, Kuala Langat, and Sepang.

A similar weather warning has also been issued for Putrajaya, Johor (Batu Pahat and Pontian) and Sarawak, involving Mukah (Daro, Matu, Dalat, and Mukah) and Bintulu (Tatau and Bintulu).