RM622mil lost to floods last year, down from RM6.1bil in 2021

 

Public assets and infrastructure topped the list of losses due to floods last year. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Total losses due to floods last year amounted to more than RM600 million, a drop from the RM6.1 billion loss in 2021, the statistics department said.

Chief statistician Uzir Mahidin said the RM622.4 million loss in 2022 is equivalent to 0.03% of the nominal gross domestic product (GDP).

“Living quarters losses amounted to RM157.4 million, vehicles RM18.8 million, manufacturing RM8.7 million, business premises RM50.3 million, agriculture RM154.5 million, and public assets and infrastructure RM232.7 million,” he said in a statement today.

The figures were derived from a special report by the department on the impact of floods in Malaysia, which took into account all states except for the federal territories of Labuan and Putrajaya.

The department conducted face-to-face interviews in the affected areas using questionnaires, besides making observations and telephone calls.

It also used data obtained from various government agencies such as the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), the welfare department, the police, the civil defence department, the fire and rescue department, and state government and district offices.

It also collected data from temporary evacuation centres, village councils and NGOs.

“This allowed the department to collect more comprehensive data,” said Uzir.

Statistics of total loss, Malaysia

In terms of living quarters, he said, Terengganu recorded the highest losses of RM84.2 million, followed by Kelantan (RM44.4 million) and Kedah (RM15.3 million).

The districts that recorded the highest living quarters losses in the respective states were Hulu Terengganu (RM32 million), Pasir Mas (RM28.7 million) and Baling (RM14 million).

For vehicles, the three states that recorded the highest losses were Kedah (RM11.5 million), Terengganu (RM3.4 million) and Kelantan (RM2 million).

In the manufacturing sector, Terengganu recorded the highest losses with RM7.1 million, followed by Kelantan (RM1.2 million) and Sabah (RM300,000).

“Terengganu was the highest state recorded for business premises losses, amounting to RM25.3 million,” he said. - FMT