Malaysia: 14 dead in ongoing floods

By Pizaro Gozali Idrus

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AA): At least 14 are dead in floods that have ravaged Malaysia since Saturday, local news reported on Tuesday.

Eight bodies have been recovered in the western state of Selangor, where the capital Kuala Lumpur is located, along with six others in the neighboring Pahang state, and four more still reported missing the Bernama news agency reported.

“This brings the tally of people who perished in the floods which struck eight states to 14,” it said.

Despite an improvement in the weather, the floods have not receded in most of the states affected by the natural disaster since Saturday, it added.

More than 60,000 flood victims across the country have been evacuated from their homes, according to the National Disaster Management Agency, including nearly 35,000 in Pahang.

In a statement, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced intensified efforts to evacuate residents still trapped in their flooded homes.

“The government has allocated 100 million Malaysian ringgits ($23.7 million) for post-flood recovery activities to repair damaged houses and infrastructure,” he said.

The prime minister said the Social Welfare Department was also preparing cooked meals to be sent to victims at home and relief centers.

Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) Director-General, Muhammad Helmi Abdullah, issued rain warning for Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak (Kerian, Larut, Matang and Selama districts). 

“This can cause continuous rain and strong winds in northern states of the Peninsula. It can potentially cause flooding in low lying areas in those states,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

Malaysia’s worst flooding in decades took place in 2014, forcing about 118,000 people to flee their homes.

[Photo: Malaysian Civil Defense Department delivering aid for flood victims in Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia on December 19, 2021. Photographer: Farid Bin Tajuddin/AA]

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