Malaysia on alert for worst floods in a decade as monsoon season hits

Heavy rainfall raises spectre of 2014 'yellow flood' that displaced more than 200,000

- Lu Wei Hoong

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian officials have warned that the worst flooding in a decade is expected to hit over the next few days, with Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi raising the spectre of the 2014 "bah kuning" (yellow flood) that hit Kelantan and displaced more than 200,000 people.

The warning came after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told Parliament on the morning of Nov 28 that 37,000 people - 80 per cent of them in Kelantan - had been displaced due to flooding between Nov 24 and Nov 28.

Officials raised the number of people placed in shelters at 8.30pm on Nov 28 to 63,219, with 80 per cent from Kelantan.

"The Prime Minister had asked me to convene an emergency meeting of the National Disaster Management Committee," Datuk Seri Zahid told reporters in Putrajaya after chairing the meeting on Nov 28.

"This time, the flood is expected to be worse than in 2014."

High levels of sea tides are expected next week, he said, which would worsen the flooding as they would prevent the rainwater swelling in rivers from draining into the South China Sea.