An overnight fire destroyed around 1,000 stilt homes in a coastal water village in Malaysia's Sabah state on Borneo island this Sunday. The blaze reduced the community to ash, leaving thousands of people displaced.
Sandakan police chief George Abd Rakman described the event as a very large-scale and heartbreaking incident that affected 9,007 residents. Other reports indicate 445 people were displaced.
The affected area is home to some of the country's poorest residents, including indigenous and stateless communities.
Relief efforts are currently underway, focusing on safety and providing immediate aid for victims in the affected areas.