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Severe floods have displaced nearly 40,000 people across northern Malaysia, as heavy rains continue to pound the region, swelling the Golok River which acts as the border with Thailand to its highest level since 1997.

The northeast monsoon season, which runs from November to March, regularly floods Peninsular Malaysia. However, this year's wet season coincides with the La Niña weather phenomenon, which meteorologists warn could intensify rainfall and trigger extreme flooding into next month.

Speaking in parliament, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that more than 37,000 people in six states have been relocated to some 330 temporary shelters as of Thursday morning.

"Kelantan recorded the highest number of victims at 30,582 people," he said, adding that the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) is coordinating federal and state resources to ensure the safety and welfare of flood victims.



Two individuals have died from electrocution, prompting the power company to shut off electricity at 17 substations to prevent further fatalities.

Kelantan, the hardest-hit state, mirrors conditions in southern Thailand's flood-stricken southernmost provinces of Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat where water levels in some areas have reached rooftops, forcing evacuations.

The Golok River, which forms the Thai-Malaysian border, has swollen to 11.62 meters, surpassing its 1997 peak of 11.56 meters.

For comparison, the 2014 floods - among the worst in recent memory - saw the river rise to 10.84 meters.

The border town of Rantau Panjang has been overwhelmed. Water levels have reached the highest point in more than 40 years, even inundating flood relief centres.

"The town is completely paralysed, worse than 2014," said Ila Majid, a town local to This Week in Asia, saying everyone is "very worried".

The Malaysian Meteorological Department has warned that severe rainfall will continue across Kelantan and neighbouring Terengganu until Friday.

On social media, flood victims have been sharing videos of rising waters that threaten their homes and livelihoods. Many have expressed distress about the fate of their farm animals, who have no high ground to escape to.

Meanwhile, a restaurateur recently shared a heartbreaking video of her floating restaurant on the Kelantan River being swept away by powerful currents, triggering sadness from her customers.

"It is so sad to see, we had many fond memories here," a TikTok user commented.