Monsoon: 332 relief centres ready to be activated in Sabah, says Armizan

A total of 332 relief centres have been identified and prepared throughout Sabah to deal with disasters, particularly floods and heavy rainfall during the Northeast Monsoon later this year, according to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Duties) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.

Datuk Armizan stated that these relief centres have the capacity to house a total of 129,096 individuals. In addition, various proactive measures are being implemented to ensure that all parties are well-prepared.

Last year’s experience with floods that affected 15 districts in Sabah and activated 103 relief centres, accommodating 17,565 victims, has garnered positive feedback from the Sabah government in terms of facing this year’s monsoon.

Speaking to reporters after participating in the ‘Jaringan Komuniti Madani’ (Jakma) programme in Papar on Sunday (Oct 1), Datuk Armizan urged all District Disaster Management Committees to promptly carry out preparations and coordination at the district level, involving government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

On September 14, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general, Helmi Abdullah, announced that the monsoon transition phase is anticipated to commence on September 19 and last until November.

The Sabah State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat declared on September 27 that the flood in the Beaufort district since September 22 had fully subsided, allowing the 134 flood victims sheltered at Selagon Hall to return home. – Bernama