Tens of thousands of people flee floods in Malaysia

In Malaysia, tens of thousands of people have been moved to safety due to flooding. The continuous monsoon rains since Friday have caused rivers to overflow in several regions in the center and north-east of the country.

The state of Selangor and the capital, Kuala Lumpur, are particularly affected. Today there are nearly 10,000 people who have fled their homes and apartments from among the blocks of water. Roads were cut off and thousands of drivers were stranded. Dozens of bus lines have been cut in and around the capital.

Due to the failure of three water treatment plants in Selangor, authorities expect that tens of thousands of people in parts of the state and the capital will be forced to run without fresh water in the next few days.

I was surprised by the amount of rain

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yacoub was surprised by the amount of rain that fell since Friday. He said in a press conference that it corresponds to the usual amount which is a month in Selangor.

The Prime Minister promised to pay compensation to the flood victims, equivalent to 20 million euros. The worst flood disaster in Malaysia occurred in 2014, when 118,000 people were forced to flee their homes.