KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Major flooding in Malaysia has resulted in at least 14 deaths, in addition to tens of thousands of people being evacuated.
Heavy rains lashed the country for 72 hours, causing significant flooding in eight Malaysian states, while inundating villages and town areas.
The central government is facing increasing criticism over its not issuing warnings in a timely manner and its slow response to the flooding.
It is feared that the number of deaths will rise steeply.
As of December 20, some 51,000 people had been evacuated, primarily in the state of Pahang, which saw much of the flooding.
Selangor state surrounding the capital Kuala Lumpur also saw considerable flooding.
Pictures posted online showed parts of Kuala Lumpur under water, with floodwaters reaching heights not observed since the severe flooding that hit the city in 1971.
Rainfall has since subsided, and some people are returning to their destroyed homes.
“We are left with only our clothes, and important documents like our children’s birth certificates,” said Sazuatu Remly, whose house was destroyed. “That is all we brought with us,” she said, as reported by the BBC.
