KUALA LUMPUR – Severe flooding has claimed three lives and displaced more than 80,000 people across multiple Malaysian states, with officials warning that this monsoon season could bring the worst floods the country has seen in a decade.
The National Disaster Command Centre reported on Nov 29 that 80,589 residents have been evacuated to 467 temporary shelters in seven states. The northeastern states of Kelantan and Terengganu, bordering Thailand, are the hardest hit. Details on the fatalities were not immediately disclosed.
Floods are a regular occurrence on Malaysia’s east coast during the monsoon season, which runs from October to March, but this week’s torrential rains have triggered widespread evacuations.
Deputy Prime Minister and National Disaster Management Committee chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi described the situation as potentially more severe than the devastating 2014 floods, which displaced nearly 250,000 people. “Given the severity of the situation, all parties have been mobilised to ensure the safety and welfare of flood victims,” Ahmad Zahid said, as quoted by state news agency Bernama.
The government has deployed over 82,000 security personnel along with rescue boats, four-wheel drive vehicles, and helicopters to aid in relief efforts.
The flooding has also disrupted transportation, with the national railway operator, KTM Berhad, announcing the suspension of nine train routes on the east coast due to submerged tracks.
The Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rainfall across several states lasting until Dec 1, with a monsoon surge bringing prolonged downpours to the peninsula’s east coast.
As the crisis continues to unfold, authorities remain on high alert, bracing for more severe weather in the coming days.