More than 122,000 people were on Saturday forced to evacuate their homes as severe flooding, caused by relentless rains, continues to devastate Malaysia’s northern states.
Officials from the National Disaster Management Agency reported that the number of displaced individuals has surpassed the 2014 flooding crisis, with fears that it may rise further due to ongoing downpours.
The death toll remains at four, with casualties recorded across Kelantan, Terengganu, and Sarawak. Kelantan has been the worst affected.
Kelantan state bore the brunt of the flooding, accounting for 63 per cent of the 122,631 people evacuated, according to data from the National Disaster Management Agency.
Approximately 35,000 people have been displaced in Terengganu, with the remaining numbers spread across seven other states.
Heavy rainfall, which began earlier this week, has inundated streets and homes in areas like Pasir Puteh in Kelantan.
Residents describe walking through waist-deep waters and facing isolation as floodwaters cut off access to their neighbourhoods.
Some, like Zamrah Majid, a 59-year-old school janitor, reported water levels dangerously close to entering their homes.
“My area has been flooded since Wednesday. The water has already reached my house corridor and is just two inches away from coming inside,” Majid told AFP.
“Luckily, I moved my two cars to a higher ground before the water level rose.”
Muhammad Zulkarnain, 27, who is living with his parents in Pasir Puteh, said they were isolated. “There’s no way in or out of for any vehicles to enter my neighbourhood,” he told AFP by phone.
Many evacuees have yet to receive assistance, relying on food supplies provided by NGOs.
Emergency services have deployed personnel, rescue boats, and helicopters to aid those affected, though challenges remain due to the widespread impact of the floods.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department has warned that heavy rains are expected to continue through Sunday, exacerbating the situation in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Perak.
The northeast monsoon season, which runs from November to March, regularly brings heavy rains to Malaysia, often resulting in severe flooding.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Hamidi, who heads the National Disaster Management Committee, emphasised that emergency efforts are ongoing, with thousands of personnel working to support flood-prone areas.
