Malaysians In Flood-Affected Areas of Netherlands Reported Safe

By V. Sankara KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Bernama) -- All nine Malaysians living in the flood-affected areas of Maastricht and Valkenburg in the Netherlands are reported to be safe, said the Malaysian Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands. The embassy said there are currently eight Malaysians living in Maastricht and one in Valkenburg. “For Malaysians in the affected areas, they do not require any form of assistance thus far, but the Embassy maintains close contact with them on a daily basis, in case help are needed,” said the embassy in a reply statement to Bernama. The flood in The Netherlands occurred in the province of Limburg, located in the southern part of the Netherlands – bordering Germany and Belgium – due to unusually heavy downpour since July 14. On July 15, water overflowed the Maas River and impacted many parts alongside the area, affecting several cities including Venlo and Maastricht. Subsequently, the Dutch Government has declared the situation as an event of a disaster. The declaration of disaster paved the way for the Dutch Government to activate the Compensation for Damage Act, through which the Government will partially cover damages not covered by insurers, and those who have been suffering from intense rainfall in the area. Since the beginning of the flood, the Dutch government has activated the relevant disaster mitigation programme and has rendered all necessary assistance to the flood victims. The embassy said that currently there are 106 registered Malaysian students across the country who are mostly studying in Dutch universities in Groningen, Utrecht, Amsterdam, Delft and Wageningen, adding that these areas are not affected by the flood. The Embassy had also advised all Malaysians to continue to follow the announcement and measures undertaken by the Dutch Government over the flooding. Malaysians in the Netherlands are told to register with the Embassy. Online registration can be made by browsing the Consular website at https://embassymalaysia.nl. -- BERNAMA