KOTA KINABALU, May 18 — The number of evacuees due to the floods in Beaufort and Tenom increased to 72 people as at  8am today from to 59  yesterday.

 According to a statement from the Sabah State Disaster Management Committee, 46 of them, comprising 12 families, are at the relief centre at Dewan DP Mohd Dun Banir in Beaufort, from 33 people, involving nine families, yesterday.

The remaining 26 evacuees, comprising five families, are in Tenom and they are at the PPS at  Rumah Kebudayaan Kalang Kanar.

"Forty-five villages are still affected by the floods in Beaufort and 11 villages in Tenom. Evacuation is still in progress as the flood water in the ‘hotspot’ area is still at a dangerous level,” said the statement.

The floods in Tenom and Beaufort occurred after water from several rivers in the districts spilled its banks. — Bernama