This handout photo taken and released by Malaysia's Sandakan Fire and Rescue Department on April 19, 2026, shows a general view of the Kampung Bahagia water village after a fire, in Sandakan, on Malaysia's Borneo island. (Photo by Handout / Malaysia's Sandakan Fire and Rescue Department / AFP)
Kuala Lumpur: The extent of the material losses from a fire that broke out earlier today in a coastal village in eastern Malaysia has risen, with nearly 1,000 homes destroyed and thousands displaced.
Local authorities reported that thousands of people were displaced as a result of a fire that destroyed nearly 1,000 homes in a coastal village in Sabah state on Borneo island. They indicated that over 9,000 residents have been affected by the fire though no deaths have been reported
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that the federal government is coordinating with Sabah state authorities to provide essential assistance and arrange temporary relocation for those affected, stressing that the current priority is ensuring the safety of victims and delivering immediate aid on the ground.
