KUALA LUMPUR, March 2: Rescuers in boats rescued families trapped on roofs and carried others to safety as towns and cities in parts of Malaysia were submerged in floodwaters, prompting the evacuation of more than 26,000 people until Thursday.
One person was killed when their car was swept away by floodwaters.
The southern state of Johor, neighboring Singapore, was hardest hit with some 25,000 people taken to relief centers in schools and community halls.
The number more than doubled since Tuesday, officials said. Five other states were also affected by flooding after incessant rains inundated the area on Wednesday.
The country is experiencing its sixth bout of continuous heavy rain since the annual monsoon season that began in November, the Met Department said, warning it could last until April.
In December, tens of thousands of people were also evacuated due to flooding.
The department warned that the rain will persist in Johor and other parts of the country, which could cause more flash floods on Thursday.
Posts on social media showed photos of a road that had collapsed due to overflowing water after a heavy downpour, vehicles and houses submerged in muddy water, and shops closed.
In Johor, authorities said a man driving to work at a palm oil plantation was found dead after rescuers recovered his car, which had been swept away by floodwaters. Footage released by the National Flood Disaster Agency showed rescuers wading chest-deep in some areas of Johor to help victims trapped in their homes and carrying a baby in a bucket to safety.
The agency warned that the waters of 25 rivers nationwide have reached dangerous levels.
The data showed that 102 landslides have occurred since November due to heavy rain, he said.
(RSS/AP)
