MALAYSIA: Relentless floods in southern Malaysia claim at least six lives

Record ID: 730619

  • Title: MALAYSIA: Relentless floods in southern Malaysia claim at least six lives
  • Date: 23rd December 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa) FRUIT SELLER RAHIM TAN COMPLAINING ABOUT FACILITY IN CAMP SAYING: "Place for sleeping, place for eating and also medicine was not guaranteed."
  • Embargoed: 7th January 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Malaysia
  • Country: Malaysia
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Environment / Natural World
  • Reuters ID: LVA3JVTN65RCAQ4QRBFS46OC8LOX
  • Story Text: Relentless floods in southern Malaysia have now killed six people and forced around 75,000 from their homes.
    The southern state of Johor bordering Singapore was the worst affected, with some 65,000 victims taking shelter in schools and community halls, local media reported.
    The floods, which followed this week's heaviest rainfall in a century, submerged buildings and washed out roads in Muar and several other big towns in Johor.
    It said police had recovered the body of an elderly woman in Johor on Friday, bringing the death toll so far to six.
    Military and police deployed helicopters to airlift emergency food supplies and take patients to hospital.
    Residents are struggling to salvage their belongings and to prevent water from causing further damage.
    Despite relief efforts, some residents complain that not enough is being done.
    "Place for sleeping, place for eating and also medicine was not guaranteed," one flood victim, Rahi Tan said.
    The south of the country is preparing itself for a major relief and clean up operation in the coming days to attempt to restore the region to normal after the devastating rains.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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