Torrential rains have forced more than 122,000 people from their homes in Malaysia, with the northern states of Kelantan and Terengganu worst affected. The ongoing floods, triggered by relentless downpours since early this week, have already surpassed the devastation of 2014, one of the country’s worst flood events.
According to the National Disaster Management Agency, Kelantan accounts for 63% of the 122,631 displaced individuals. Terengganu has seen nearly 35,000 evacuations, with additional displacements reported in seven other states. Pasir Puteh, a town in Kelantan, remains particularly hard-hit, with streets submerged in waters up to hip level.
“My area has been flooded since Wednesday. The water has already reached my house corridor and is just two inches away from coming inside,” said Zamrah Majid, a school janitor from Pasir Puteh. She added that her family had yet to receive any official assistance, relying instead on personal efforts to safeguard property.
Flooding during Malaysia’s northeast monsoon season, which runs from November to March, is an annual occurrence. However, this year’s scale has prompted the deployment of thousands of emergency personnel equipped with rescue boats, all-terrain vehicles, and helicopters, according to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
As the death toll remains at four, officials fear the number of displaced could rise further if the rains continue.
