What's happened
Severe flooding in Malaysia and southern Thailand has displaced over 150,000 people, primarily in Kelantan and Terengganu. The floods, exacerbated by the La Niña phenomenon, have resulted in at least six fatalities in Malaysia and significant infrastructure damage, prompting government relief efforts amid ongoing heavy rains.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Independent reported that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted the recent rains equated to six months' worth of rainfall, causing significant damage in Kelantan and Terengganu. Meanwhile, the South China Morning Post highlighted the government's commitment to assist those affected, with immediate priorities including repairing essential infrastructure. The contrasting perspectives from these sources underscore the urgency of the situation and the government's response efforts amidst ongoing challenges.
How we got here
The flooding is part of the annual northeast monsoon season, which runs from November to March. This year's monsoon has been intensified by the La Niña weather phenomenon, leading to unprecedented rainfall and flooding across Malaysia and southern Thailand.
More on these topics
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Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Malaysia.
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Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam, is a country in Southeast Asia. Located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, it is composed of 76 provinces, and covers an area of 513,120 square kilometres, and a population
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Kelantan is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is Darul Naim.
Kelantan is located in the north-eastern corner of the peninsula.
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Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi is a Malaysian politician who has served as 8th President of the United Malays National Organisation and 6th Chairman the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition which is aligned with another ruling Perikatan Nasional coali
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Dato' Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who has twice served as the 12th and 16th Leader of the Opposition since May 2020 and from August 2008 to March 2015.
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La Niña is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon that is the colder counterpart of El Niño, as part of the broader El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate pattern.