ALBAWABA - Malaysia evacuated nearly 55,000 people who were affected by floods caused by heavy rain, especially the southern state of Johor, on Monday.
Thousands forced from their homes amid southern Malaysia floods https://t.co/At3ijFJ2jE
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 6, 2023
The number of those affected in the southern state reached 51,000 people. The floods resulted from the heavy rains, which swept across several cities.
Johor records highest rainfall in four days since 1991 as Malaysia flood situation worsens https://t.co/GZ5QMB5C0m pic.twitter.com/Z9IXFcnA3e
— CNA (@ChannelNewsAsia) March 5, 2023
International media outlets reported that the floods in Malaysia are the worst since the 1960s, especially since the level of rainfall is "unusual" for this time of the year.
ASEAN Weekly Disaster Update 27 Feb - 5 Mar 2023 (Week 9). For the ninth week of 2023, a total of 30 disasters (23 floods, 2 landslides, and 5 wind-related) affected the region. Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have reportedly been affected - https://t.co/DlfWx8KvNT pic.twitter.com/vg3Ms74jDR
— AHA Centre (@AHACentre) March 6, 2023
The tropical rainy season usually ends at the beginning of each year.
However, according to Malaysian officials, illegal practices, most prominent of which are the removal of forests, and the elimination of natural areas, are factors responsible for soil erosion and thus the river flooding during the heavy rains season.
