KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 (NNN-BERNAMA) – The number of evacuees rose to over 21,000 in Malaysia yesterday, with 10 states affected across the country, due to the current north-east monsoon season, according to authorities.
Kelantan state remains the hardest hit, with 9,642 flood evacuees housed in 52 flood relief centres as of 900 a.m. local time.
Other badly affected areas include Perak state with 4,331 evacuees, Selangor state with 2,909, and another 2,837 in Kedah state, with the remainder spread across the country.
Selangor state chief minister, Amirudin Shari said, flood mitigation measures in parts of the state were unable to cope with the surge in water and extraordinary weather conditions.
“The state government is identifying follow-up measures, that need to be taken, to ensure the safety of residents, including improving flood mitigation infrastructure and immediate actions to ensure the safety and well-being of those affected,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Meteorological Department deputy director-general, Ambun Dindang, said, the floods throughout the north-east monsoon period depend not only on rainfall, but are also affected by land-related factors, such as land-use changes, population density, and the effectiveness of local drainage systems.– NNN-BERNAMA
