Kelantan tops list of 3,045 flood hotspots as ministry prepares for monsoon

PUTRAJAYA, November 7 — The Malaysian government is ramping up preparations for the 2026/2027 North-east Monsoon season, as part of its efforts to manage flood risks effectively. The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) is coordinating these efforts through the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN).

The DID National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre issued 103 bulletins during the 2025/2026 North-east Monsoon season, including 64 early flood forecast bulletins and 39 flood warning bulletins. The ministry reported that 14.8 million SMS alerts were sent to residents in high-risk areas during this period. A total of 799 flood incidents were recorded nationwide, with 480 monsoon floods, 274 flash floods, 25 stagnant flooding cases, and 20 coastal floods attributed to river overflows, drainage issues, high tides, and other local factors.

To enhance preparedness, the DID is conducting continuous monitoring using flood forecasting models covering 36 river basins and 2,237 telemetry-based hydrological stations. The ministry has also installed 614 flood warning sirens, 197 surveillance cameras, and 1,638 minor flood mitigation projects to monitor and mitigate flood risks.

Kelantan has emerged as the top hotspot, with 609 recorded flood events in the past three years, followed by Pahang and Terengganu. The ministry is working with state authorities to establish standard operating procedures for dam water releases and advises the public to stay informed of official flood forecasts and warnings through the Public InfoBanjir website and MyPublicInfoBanjir mobile application.