Written by: Nurafiqah Mohd Sahar & Yew Jun Huo
Edited by: Jinghann Hong & Shameeta Masilamany
Malaysia’s battle with flooding has intensified in recent years, with devastating floods becoming increasingly common across the country. While floods have historically been seasonal during the northeast monsoon (November–March), changing climate patterns are increasing both the frequency and severity of flood events. In December 2021, the country experienced its worst flooding in decades, displacing over 71,000 people and causing economic losses of approximately RM 6.1 billion (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2022).
Malaysia faces three main types of flood hazards:
| Type of flood | Image explanation (Rosenzweig, 2024) |
| Fluvial flooding The east coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang experience severe monsoon-driven river flooding annually between November and March. |  |
| Pluvial flooding Urbanising areas like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Johor Bahru, where development outpaces infrastructure, are increasingly affected by flash floods due to impervious surfaces and inadequate drainage (Department of Irrigation and Drainage, 2021). |  |
| Coastal flooding As a peninsula with extensive coastlines, parts of Malaysia also face growing coastal flood risks as climate change drives sea level rise. Find out more about coastal flooding here. |