Floodwaters are swallowing Beaufort and Membakut whole, forcing over 1,000 people from their homes in just four hours, as authorities scramble to contain the worsening crisis.

At 4 PM, there were 522 evacuees. By 8 PM, that number nearly doubled to 1,010. The number of affected households skyrocketed from 154 to 325. And the rain isn’t stopping.

Temporary shelters are bursting at the seams. At Dewan Selagon, Beaufort, 376 people are packed in.

At Dewan DSP Dun Banir, the count jumped from 44 to 404. At Dewan Kesenian Islam Membakut, the number climbed from 102 to 230.

Two days ago, the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN) sounded the alarm.

Heavy rain, they said, would hammer Sabah’s west coast and interior. The warning covered Papar, Putatan, Penampang, Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Sipitang, Tenom, Kuala Penyu, Beaufort, Keningau, and Tambunan. River basins were marked as high-risk zones.

Still, the water came too fast, overwhelming drains, submerging villages, and driving families from their homes.

As of now, 20 villages are underwater. The number of displaced residents is expected to climb. No casualties have been reported—yet. But with more rain coming, the situation could turn deadly overnight.

This disaster hits barely two months after the December–January floods displaced over 2,700 people across Sabah.

That catastrophe stretched from Kota Marudu to Kinabatangan, affecting Beluran, Kota Belud, Lahad Datu, Ranau, Telupid, Pitas, Sandakan, Tongod, and Paitan.

Relief efforts from the last flood were only just winding down when Beaufort and Membakut were hit. Now, rescue teams—including the Malaysian Civil Defence Force—are scrambling to deliver food, water, and medical aid. – March 8, 2025