Flash floods expected in 6 states in Malaysia as monsoon rain moves south
Residents are rescued by boats from the flood relief centre as the flood water rise and partially submerged the building at Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia Dec 21, 2022. More than 70000 were forced into relief centres, with numbers rising in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, according to local media. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)
KUALA LUMPUR: Flash floods may hit Johor, Pahang, Perak, Selangor, Terengganu and Sabah within 24 hours if there is heavy rain or significant thunderstorms, said Malaysia's flood forecasting authority on Thursday (Dec 22).
The National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN) of the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) said in a notice issued at 7 am on Thursday that residents, especially those in the high-risk areas, should follow the instructions of the authorities or flood disaster management agencies.
The monsoon rain currently affecting Terengganu and Kelantan is shifting towards Johor, and residents in the state are getting ready to face the deluge, Malaysian news site The Star reported.
The number of flood victims at relief centres in Terengganu and Kelantan are the highest.
In Terengganu, the Secretariat for the State Disaster Management Committee said that the number of flood victims continues to increase from 36,009 people at midnight to 36,231 people this morning. The number dropped in Kelantan, but remains at more than 30,000 people. There are fewer than 50 victims at three other states, namely Johor, Pahang and Perak.
At least five people have been killed in Malaysia after monsoon-triggered floods inundated the country's north, said emergency services officials.
Local media reported that four people died in Kelantan on Monday when three sisters were electrocuted while wading in the floodwaters and a 15-month-old boy drowned.
The fifth victim was a two-year-old girl swept away by strong currents in Terengganu on Sunday.
Malaysia's meteorological department forecast continuous rains through Thursday in several states, including Terengganu.
Flash floods on Thursday may affect these areas in Johor: Kota Tinggi, around Sedili Kechil and Ulu sungai Sedili Besar, Muar (Bandar, Bandar Maharani and Jalan Bakri) , as well as Mersing (Bandar Padang Endau).
In Pahang, it affects three districts, namely Kuantan at Bandar Kuantan, Hulu Kuantan, Kuala Kuantan, Pulau Manis and Sungai Karang, Maran (Pekan) and Pekan (Bebar, Pekan andan Langgar).
Meanwhile, in Perak, two districts are expected to be affected, namely Bagan Datuk (Pekan Simpang Empat) and Hilir Perak (Durian Sebatang), while in Selangor, it involves the Klang area.
For Terengganu, they are at Marang (Bukit Payung) and Kuala Terengganu (Batu Buruk, Chendering and Kuala Terengganu), while in Sabah, the areas are in Tuaran (Kampung Berungis and Pekan Tenghilan).
Newly elected Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited affected areas and a school being used as an evacuation centre in Kelantan on Wednesday.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said in parliament on Tuesday the government had initially allocated RM400 million (US$122m) to the National Disaster Management Agency to deal with the emergency.
Floods are an annual phenomenon in Malaysia due to the northeast monsoon that brings heavy rain from November to March.
In the same month last year, the country was battered by its worst floods in history when more than 50 people died and thousands more were displaced.
