AdvertisementAdvertisementThe fire broke out in one of Sabah's water villages, which feature wooden houses built on stilts, on Apr 19, 2026. (Photo: Sabah Fire and Rescue Department)19 Apr 2026 01:09PM (Updated: 19 Apr 2026 01:10PM) Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInAdd CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.Read a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST KUALA LUMPUR: Hundreds of people have been displaced after a fire destroyed around 200 homes in a coastal village in Malaysia's Sabah state on Sunday (Apr 19), state news agency Bernama reported.Authorities were notified of the fire in Sandakan district at around 1.32am, the district's fire and rescue chief Jimmy Lagung was quoted as saying by Bernama. “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, according to Bernama. 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.Around 445 people have been displaced so far, Bernama said, citing unofficial figures of people registered at a temporary relief centre in Sandakan. 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. Johor conducting water bombing for partially controlled Pengerang peatland fireSelangor fire: 56 people questioned as early probe confirms digging 30m from Putra Heights gas pipelineSource: Reuters/asNewsletterMorning BriefSubscribe to CNA’s Morning BriefAn automated curation of our top stories to start your day.Sign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST