Severe flooding caused by unrelenting rains has forced more than 122,000 people to flee their homes in Malaysia’s northern states, marking one of the country’s worst flood crises in recent years. Disaster management officials warned the situation could worsen as heavy downpours showed no signs of abating.
Kelantan state has been the hardest hit, accounting for 63% of the total 122,631 displaced, according to data from the National Disaster Management Agency. Terengganu has also been severely affected, with nearly 35,000 evacuees, while seven other states have reported significant displacements.
The torrential rains began earlier this week, inundating towns and villages. In Pasir Puteh, Kelantan, residents trudged through streets submerged in hip-deep water.
“My area has been flooded since Wednesday,” said Zamrah Majid, a 59-year-old school janitor. “The water has already reached my house corridor and is just two inches away from coming inside. Fortunately, I moved my two cars to higher ground before the water level rose.”
Zamrah expressed concerns about the safety of her grandchildren playing in shallow floodwaters near her house. “If the water gets higher, it would be dangerous. I’m afraid they might get swept away,” she said, adding that she had yet to receive any assistance from authorities.
Others, like Muhammad Zulkarnain, 27, described being cut off entirely. “There’s no way in or out for vehicles to enter my neighborhood,” he said. “Of course, I’m scared… Thankfully, NGOs have provided us with food supplies like biscuits, instant noodles, and eggs.”
The Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued warnings of continued heavy rains in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Perak through Sunday, raising fears of further evacuations and destruction.
Flooding during the northeast monsoon season is a regular occurrence in Malaysia, which sees heavy rainfall from November to March. However, this year’s crisis has surpassed the 118,000 evacuations during the catastrophic floods of 2014.
Thousands of emergency responders have been deployed to the affected areas. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who chairs the National Disaster Management Committee, stated that rescue boats, four-wheel-drive vehicles, and helicopters are being utilized to aid flood-stricken communities.
As the crisis unfolds, calls for urgent assistance and improved flood management systems are growing. For now, residents brace for further rains, hoping for a reprieve from the unrelenting deluge.
