MELAKA, July 8 — Two schools forced to close down due to floods that hit a few districts in the state since yesterday.

State Education Department director Datuk Abu Bakar Sahari said the two schools were Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Krubong in Melaka Tengah and SK Belimbing Dalam in Alor Gajah.

"The two schools are closed starting today (Monday) as they are being used as temporary evacuation centres (PPSs) to house those affected by the floods,” he said in a statement last night.

He said 1,236 pupils and 71 teachers from SK Krubong, while 484 students and 40 teachers at SK Belimbing Dalam were affected by the floods.

"However, only students are allowed to skip school while teachers who are not affected by the floods have been asked to attend school as usual,” he said.

Abu Bakar said another school in Alor Gajah, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Seri Pengkalan, was also being used as a PPS and housed 122 victims from 34 families but the school session carried out as usual.

Meanwhile, according to a report by the state Disaster Management Secretariat as of 8pm, the number of flood victims in the state rose to 1,149 people involving 260 families, compared to 745 people from 150 families in the afternoon. — Bernama