Malaysia floods kill over dozen people, displace thousands

At least 14 have died in floods that have ravaged Malaysia since Saturday.

Eight bodies have been recovered in the western state of Selangor, where the capital Kuala Lumpur is located, along with six others in the neighboring Pahang state, and four more still reported missing the Bernama news agency reported on Tuesday.

"This brings the tally of people who perished in the floods which struck eight states to 14," it said on Tuesday.

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Despite an improvement in the weather, the floods have not receded in most of the states affected by the natural disaster since Saturday, it added.

More than 71,000 people have been forced from their homes due to the floods, including 41,000 in Pahang and 27,000 in Selangor, according to official data.

In a statement, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced intensified efforts to evacuate residents still trapped in their flooded homes.

"The government has allocated 100 million Malaysian ringgits ($23.7 million) for post-flood recovery activities to repair damaged houses and infrastructure," he said.

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Widespread damage

The prime minister said the Social Welfare Department was also preparing cooked meals to be sent to victims at home and relief centers.

The rain has stopped and in many areas floodwaters have receded, leaving residents to count the cost.

Kartik Subramany fled his house as floodwaters rose, and took refuge in a school for 48 hours before being evacuated with his family to a shelter.

"My house is totally damaged, my two cars are wrecked," the 29-year-old told AFP news agency.

"I've been doing business for more than 24 years... this has never happened before," said Mohammad Awal, whose cosmetic shop outside Kuala Lumpur was flooded.

Malaysia's worst flooding in decades took place in 2014, forcing about 118,000 people to flee their homes.