Malaysia flooding: Three dead and over 122,000 evacuate homes

Huge flooding caused by heavy rain in Malaysia has forced more than 122,000 people out of their homes across the country.

Three people have also died, according to disaster officials.

There are fears the number could rise, as heavy rain and storm warnings remain in place.

Thousands of emergency services personnel have been deployed to help rescue people stranded and shelters are being provided.

Videos shows cars and houses submerged, and people wading through waist-deep water.

The flooding, which began earlier in the week, is mostly concentrated on the north-eastern state of Kelantan, which borders Thailand.

There, the National Disaster Management Agency says the evacuees count for 63% of the total number.

So far, the number of those displaced surpasses that of 2014, which saw one of the worst floods in the country.

The disaster agency has set up 679 emergency shelters for those affected.

Also affected are Terengganu, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis, Selangr, johor, Melaka and Perak.

Provisions for disaster management have been sent to Terengganu and Kelantan State Governments, according to the prime minister’s office.

On Friday, he barred his cabinet members from going on leave so they can focus on the disaster.

In neighbouring Thailand, six provinces have declared a disaster, and floods are affecting over 240,000 households, according to the Interior Ministry.

The army has been deployed to rescue people in need.

Malaysia’s monsoon season begins in November, and flooding isn’t uncommon.

In 2021, it faced some of its worse flooding in decades, which killed at least 14 people.