Malaysia’s north was overwhelmed by floods brought on by the monsoon, and authorities said that at least five people were killed and over 70,000 people flocked to evacuation centers.
After flooding started over the weekend, more than 31,000 people have left their homes in Kelantan state and more than 39,000 inhabitants have been relocated to temporary shelters in neighboring Terengganu, according to the official Bernama news agency.
Those in charge of emergency services reported a total of five fatalities.
“The water levels reached almost three metres (10 feet),” Muhammad Ameenudin Badrul Hisyam from Kuala Krai district in Kelantan told AFP, as he cleared debris from his home after a nearby river overflowed and forced his family to flee.
A 15-month-old boy perished and three sisters were electrocuted while wading in floodwaters in Kelantan on Monday, according to local media.
A two-year-old girl who was swept away by strong currents in Terengganu on Sunday was the fifth victim.
According to Bernama news, additional evacuations were carried out in the states of Pahang, Johor, and Perak.
The 33 million-person Southeast Asian nation experiences floods every year as a result of the northeast monsoon, which produces heavy rain from November to March.
In the same month a year ago, the nation was devastated by the greatest floods in recorded history, which resulted in the deaths of over 50 people and the displacement of thousands more.
Anwar Ibrahim, the newly elected prime minister of Malaysia, has stated that additional funding will be made available for disaster management and relief activities. Anwar Ibrahim was scheduled to visit some of the affected districts later on Wednesday.