Massive fire ravages Sabah water village, leaving thousands homeless

Thousands of people have been displaced after a fire destroyed around 1,000 homes in a coastal village in Malaysia's Sabah state on Borneo island on Sunday, the fire department said.

Authorities were notified of the fire in Sandakan district at around 1.32am (1732 GMT), the district's fire and rescue chief Jimmy Lagung said in a statement.

“Strong winds and the close proximity of the houses caused the fire to spread rapidly, while low tide conditions also made it difficult to obtain an open water source,” Lagung said.

The fire broke out in one of Sabah's water villages, which feature wooden houses built on stilts and are home to some of the country's poorest communities, including many stateless and indigenous groups.

Over 9,000 residents have been affected by the fire though no deaths have been reported, Sandakan police said, according to state news agency Bernama.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the federal government was coordinating with Sabah authorities to provide basic assistance and temporary relocation for those affected.

"The priority now is the safety of the victims and immediate assistance on the ground," he said in a Facebook post.