Kota Marudu district flood disaster management committee secretariat officer Rayner Saimon said the victims are now being housed at the SK Teritipan hall.

“As at 7pm tonight, the conditions of Sungai Bandau and Sungai Bongon are below the alert level but it is still raining.

“Six villages were affected due to continuous rain since early this morning, however, the 73 who were evacuated are only from Kampung Beliajung,” he said when contacted.

He said flood conditions were currently being monitored, together with rescue and evacuation operations.

The number of victims was expected to increase, he said.

Kota Marudu district officer Alexander Yong said that based on information received, a second wave of floods had occurred in the district.

“We can confirm that the water reached dangerous levels in the Kampung Beliajung area at 6.15pm this evening.

“I ordered for rescue and evacuation operations to be carried out immediately and for flood relief centres to be opened right away,” he said.

Yong, who is also chairman of the Kota Marudu district disaster (flood) committee, said their disaster operations room was open, and that all staff had been asked to work according to the set schedule.

“All relief centres are allowed to open based on situation reports on the ground. The Kota Marudu flood operations control centre was activated earlier and is officially fully mobilised,” he said.