Malaysian Prime Minister explained that the state of Selangor had received in one day the equivalent of a month of precipitation. Tens of thousands of military and rescuers are deployed in the country.
Le Monde with AFP
At least seven people died because of torrential rains in Malaysia, Monday, December 20th. These are the worst floods in this South-South Asian country for several years. More than 50,000 people had been evacuated in the weekend.
In several towns and villages, floods have cut important traffic lanes, taking trap passengers in their vehicle for several hours. The balance sheet could rise in the coming hours.
On the approximately 51,000 people, 32,000 were in the state of Pahang, in the east of Malaysia. The richest and most populous state, the selangor, which surrounds the capital, Kuala Lumpur, has also been very affected while in general it suffers less the worst effects of the monsoon.
Damage Especially important this year
The Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, explained that the state of Selangor had received in one day the equivalent of a month of rainfall. Tens of thousands of military and rescuers are deployed, he said. Eyilavarasi Magesuaran, a student, says having feared for his life when his home of Shah Alam, a locality of the state of Selangor, was brutally flooded on Sunday morning.
“The water engulfed into our home from the back, trapping us inside,” said the 21-year-old girl, telling having been alerted by the barking of his dog. “I really were afraid that we drown. We live here since 1995 and we have never been flooded.” She was saved by a loved one equipped with a truck.
The rain stopped on Monday, allowing the inhabitants to return to their devastated house and to recover their property. Malaysia undergoes floods every year during the rainy season, but the extent of damage is particularly important this year. The role of global warming has been shown in the aggravation of floods.