1971 Kuala Lumpur floods
Encyclopedia
The 1971 Kuala Lumpur floods was a major flash flood
disaster in Malaysia that occurred in January 1971. The flooding was the result of heavy monsoon
rains, which swelled the Klang
, Batu, and Gombak
rivers. 32 people were killed and 180,000 people were affected. The Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak declared a state of national disaster in Western Malaysia.
The floods were the worst in the country since 1926. As a result of the flooding, the Kuala Lumpur Flood Mitigation Programme was set up.
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
disaster in Malaysia that occurred in January 1971. The flooding was the result of heavy monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
rains, which swelled the Klang
Klang River
Klang River is a river which flows through Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in Malaysia and eventually flows into the Straits of Malacca. It is approximately 120 km in length and drains a basin of about 1288 square kilometres...
, Batu, and Gombak
Gombak River
The Gombak River is a river which flows through Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. It is a tributary of the Klang River. The point where it meets the Klang River is the origin of Kuala Lumpur's name....
rivers. 32 people were killed and 180,000 people were affected. The Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak declared a state of national disaster in Western Malaysia.
The floods were the worst in the country since 1926. As a result of the flooding, the Kuala Lumpur Flood Mitigation Programme was set up.