Lifeboat crews rescued families trapped on rooftops and brought others to safety as villages and towns in many parts of Malaysia were engulfed by floodwaters, causing flooding. More than 26,000 people had to be evacuated on Thursday. One person died when their car was swept away by floodwaters.
The southern state of Johor, which is adjacent to Singapore, was hardest hit, with about 25,000 people displaced to relief centers in schools and community halls.Officials said the number more than doubled from Tuesday. Five other states were also affected by flooding after unrelenting rains flooded the area on Wednesday.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the country was experiencing its sixth consecutive heavy rain since the annual monsoon season that began in November, and warned that this could continue into April.
In December, tens of thousands of people were also evacuated due to flooding.
The ministry has warned that rain will linger in Johor and other parts of the country, possibly causing more flash flooding on Thursday.
Social media posts show images of a road damaged by overflowing water after heavy rain, vehicles and homes submerged in muddy water and shops closed.
In Johor, authorities say a man on his way to work at an oil palm plantation was found dead after rescuers recovered his car that was swept away by floodwaters. drift.
Footage released by the National Flood Disaster Service shows rescuers wading chest-deep in some parts of Johor to help victims trapped in their homes and carry a baby in a bucket to a safe place.
The agency warned that water levels in 25 rivers across the country had reached dangerous levels. The data shows that 102 landslides have occurred since November due to heavy rain, he added.
