Rescuers in boats pulled families trapped on rooftops and pulled others to safety as floodwaters inundated villages and towns in parts of Malaysia, leading to the evacuation of more than 26,000 people as of Thursday. One person died after his car was washed away in flood waters.
Southern Johor state, neighboring Singapore, was the worst affected, with around 25,000 people moved to relief centers in schools and community buildings. The figure has more than doubled since Tuesday, officials said. Five other states were also hit by floods after incessant rains on Wednesday.
The country is experiencing its sixth consecutive spell of heavy rains since the annual monsoon season began in November, with the meteorological department warning that it could continue till April.
In December also thousands of people were evacuated due to floods.
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The department warned that rains will continue in Johor and other parts of the country, causing further flooding on Thursday.
Social media posts showed pictures of a road that collapsed due to overflowing water after heavy rains, with vehicles and houses submerged in muddy water, and shops closed.
In Johor, officials said a man driving to work on a palm oil plantation was found dead after rescuers retrieved his car, which had been swept away by floodwaters.
Pictures posted by the National Flood Disaster Agency showed rescuers wading chest-deep to help victims trapped in their homes in some areas of Johor, and carrying a child in a bucket to safety.
The agency has warned that water in 25 rivers across the country has reached dangerous levels. Data shows that 102 landslides have occurred since November due to heavy rains.
