Number of evacuees rises to over 21,000 following floods in Malaysia

Rescuers evacuate a resident from a flood-hit area in Kelantan, Malaysia, on Nov. 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

The number of evacuees rose to over 21,000 in Malaysia on Wednesday, with 10 states affected across the country due to the current northeast monsoon season, according to authorities.

Kelantan remains the hardest hit, with 9,642 flood evacuees housed in 52 flood relief centers as of 9 a.m. local time.

Other badly affected areas include Perak state with 4,331 evacuees, Selangor state with 2,909, and another 2,837 in Kedah state, with the remainder spread across the country.

Selangor state chief minister Amirudin Shari said flood mitigation measures in parts of the state were unable to cope with the surge in water and extraordinary weather conditions.

"The state government is identifying follow-up measures that need to be taken to ensure the safety of residents, including improving flood mitigation infrastructure and immediate actions to ensure the safety and well-being of those affected," he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Meteorological Department deputy director-general Ambun Dindang said the floods throughout the northeast monsoon period depend not only on rainfall but are also affected by land-related factors such as land-use changes, population density, and the effectiveness of local drainage systems.