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Malaysia girds for more floods
28/12/2006 12:15 - (SA)
Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian authorities are bracing for possible further floods in the southern parts of the country amid warnings of more rainfall, said officials on Thursday, after floods that caused damages of more than US$20m.
Three teenagers have been charged for looting during floods in worst-hit Johor state, the first time such charges have been levied in Malaysia, said a newspaper.
Intermittent heavy rains lasting several hours may hit southern Johor state until Sunday because of a "monsoon surge" as strong winds of 60km/h sweep in from Siberia and China, said the meteorological department.
The floods - the most severe in a century in southern Malaysia - have killed eight people and displaced nearly 90 000 in Johor state, neighbouring on Singapore, as well as in Malacca and Pahang states in the past two weeks.
57 000 living in shelters
"The situation has improved in many areas, but the weather forecast is gloomy, with sporadic and heavy rainfall expected this week," said Che Moin Umar of the civil defence department .
Che Moin said more than 57 000 people were still living in public shelters in Johor. Others were in temporary shelters in Malacca and Pahang.
"We are on standby for next possible phase of floods. We have the mechanism right now, with everything in place and operating. We are prepared for the worst."
Works minister S Samy Vellu was quoted by The Star newspaper as saying the floods had caused damages estimated at US$23m in damage to roads and bridges so far.
- SAPA
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