Flooding in five Malaysian east coast states has worsened. These states include Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak, and eastern Johor. These states are lashed by strong currents and winds along with heavy rains during the monsoon season.

More than 55,000 people are looking for shelter in flood relief centres. At least 8 flood-related deaths have been reported in the annual monsoon season.

Based on daily updates released by the National Disaster Command Centre, Pahang state was the worst hit, with over 27,000 victims forced to be evacuated to 241 relief centres.

The number of people evacuated in Kelantan and Terengganu is also rapidly increasing.

Two days of heavy downpour across the state of Johor has displaced thousands of people. Johor’s rivers also swelled, with three river monitoring stations recording dangerous water levels, while six more recorded alert levels. Most parts of the town centres are inundated with water up to two-metres-deep and impassable to all vehicles. More than 1,854 families have been evacuated from their their homes and placed in various centres scattered across the state.

The numbers are only increasing and the people on the ground need all the help and support that they can get. This year’s floods come against the backdrop of a worsening coronavirus outbreak, with some fearful they could be exposed to COVID-19 in crowded relief centres.

The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever relieves a Muslim of a burden from the burdens of the world, Allah will relieve him of a burden from the burdens on the Day of Judgement. And whoever helps ease a difficulty in the world, Allah will grant him ease from a difficulty in the world and in the Hereafter. And whoever covers (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will cover (his faults) for him in the world and the Hereafter. And Allah is engaged in helping the worshipper as long as the worshipper is engaged in helping his brother.” [Tirmidhi]