1200 STUDENTS MISS SCHOOL IN PITAS

NEW SABAH TIMES.
06.01.2009

Kota Kinabalu: Some 1200 students in Pitas missed the first day of school as five primary and secondary school werw hit by floods following persistent rainfall over the weekend. However, as of yesterday evening the situations in Pitas and neighbouring Kota Marudu improved with rains easing but Pitas district officer Luvita Koisun said they remained on alert for floods. "It is not raining now but there are dark clouds in the horizon. We hope it will not be prolonged or heavy," said luvita who added that 992 evacuees from 21 flood-hit kampungs returned to their homes early yesterday. State Education Department deputy director Muhiddin Yusin said that the school s affected by floods were a secondary school and five primary school. " Some of the schools were used as relief centers," he said adding that they expected students to return to school today if the weather continued to improve. Among them were 421 students of SMK Pitas 2, SK Dandun (259), SK Pinapak (124), SK Kusilad (199), SK Pandan Mandamai (101) and SK Nibang (98). Muhiddin said they were seeking for other alternatives to house the affected students including placing them in non affected school until the flood situation improved. In neighouring Kota Marudu, the situation has also improved with most residents from some 12 kampungs and parts of town returning to their homes since late Sunday after they were evacuated on Saturday.