Malaysia is preparing for its worst floods in a decade after heavier-than-expected monsoon rains caused severe flooding that killed three people and displaced more than 90,000.
Some 94,778 people, from more than 28,000 families, across nine states have been evacuated to 527 temporary shelters, according to the National Disaster Command Centre online portal.
The north-eastern state of Kelantan, bordering Thailand, was the worst affected, with 63,761 people evacuated from their homes, followed by neighbouring Terengganu with 22,511.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday that all cabinet ministers were banned from going on holiday. He said they have been instructed to provide assistance in flood-prone areas.
His deputy, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who heads the disaster response, said on Thursday that floods this year were expected to be worse than 2014, when more than 250,000 people were displaced and 21 killed.
He was cited by local media as saying that the weather forecast indicated that heavy rainfall next month would probably affect more states.
Nearly 83,000 personnel and thousands of rescue boats, four-wheel vehicles and life jackets as well as 31 helicopters are ready, he said. The government has also identified 8,481 temporary evacuation centres nationwide that can accommodate more than two million people, he added.
Floods are common in parts of Malaysia during the annual monsoon season, that starts in November and could last until March.
The Meteorological Department has said the country can expect between five and seven episodes of heavy rainfall during this period.
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