• Heavy floods hit Sabah
• Authorities evacuate hundreds

Strong floods have struck Malaysia's Sabah state, prompting authorities to monitor the situation closely and respond to the most at-risk areas.

Hundreds of residents from low-lying villages in the northern districts were evacuated following overnight heavy rainfall.

In Kota Marudu district, around 400 people were moved to safety, while evacuation operations continued in Pitas and Paitan as water levels rose. Local disaster management centers were activated between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on March 10 after identifying several flood hotspots.

This marks the second major flooding in Pitas and Paitan within weeks, as the areas are still recovering from previous floods on February 18, which forced over 5,000 people from their homes.

Kota Marudu district officer Meirin Sugara declared a flood disaster at 10 a.m., mobilizing rescue teams to provide assistance. Firefighters rescued about 25 people, including 14 children and an infant, from Kg Beliajung after receiving a distress call. They were taken to a temporary evacuation center in Tandek.

By 4 p.m., relief teams reported that approximately 390 residents had been evacuated, with continued monitoring in Pitas and Paitan, where more than 30 people were moved from high-risk areas.

Following rising water levels, Paitan district officer Joloning Joe Majambu declared a flood disaster at 11 a.m., while Pitas district officer Asdi Mohd Faizal Hussin followed suit at 2 p.m. The affected villages from this second wave have not yet been fully detailed.