BEAUFORT: Families affected by floods here and in Membakut have been provided emergency cash assistance totalling RM1,300 from the federal and state governments.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said of the amount RM1,000 comes from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and RM300 from Yayasan Kebajikan Sabah (YKS).

Apart from the cash aid, each family who had been evacuated to the temporary evacuation centres (PPS) would also receive food assistance.

Hajiji said this after visiting PPS Dewan Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Dun Banir, which currently housed 147 families comprising 412 victims here today.

Seven PPS had opened since the floods started here on March 7, providing shelter to 1,944 people from 614 families. Hajiji presented the assistance and spoke with the flood victims.

"I came here to meet with the victims and personally see the situation on the ground. I assured them that the government understood their predicament," he said in a statement.

The chief minister also visited the town here with district officer Mohd Nazri Ajun, in which some parts were still inundated.

Hajiji directed the Department of Irrigation and Drainage to clear all waterways, particularly drains, to mitigate flooding during this wet season.

He also visited the PPS at Dewan Kesenian Islam Membakut, one of four activated in the district, to present assistance to victims there. The Membakut PPS currently housed some 836 victims from 278 families.

Accompanying the chief minister were State Secretary Datuk Seri Panglima Safar Untong, elected representatives and the prime minister's senior political secretary Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.