Malaysia logged RM622.4 million (S$187.8 million) in losses due to floods in 2022, with the east coast states of Terengganu and Kelantan racking up nearly 60 per cent of the losses.
This was significantly lower than the RM6.1 billion in losses suffered by the country in 2021, when the government attributed the severe flooding in December to “one-in-100-year” rainfall.
In a special report on the flood impact issued on Thursday, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said the RM622.4 million losses were equivalent to 0.03 per cent against the nominal gross domestic product.
Public assets and infrastructure losses amounted to RM232.7 million, followed by RM157.4 million in damage to homes.
Agricultural losses amounted to RM154.5 million, while business premises had losses of RM50.3 million, followed by losses to vehicles (RM18.8 million) and manufacturing (RM8.7 million).
Terengganu recorded the highest value of flood losses at RM215.2 million, followed by Kelantan at RM153.1 million. Cumulatively, both states racked up losses of RM368.3 million, or 59.17 per cent.
In 2021, both states registered losses of only RM400,000 and RM22 million, respectively.
The two districts which registered the most flood damage were Kuala Terengganu with RM46.4 million losses, and Pasir Mas in Kelantan, which registered losses of RM45.5 million.
Floods in Malaysia have become a yearly phenomenon, triggered by the north-east monsoon that brings heavy rain from November to March.
In 2022, then Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolved Parliament on Oct 10, drawing strong criticism from the public and opposition leaders for holding an election during the monsoon season, when he had until September 2023 to do so.
In the lead-up to the Nov 19 national polls, many candidates suspended their campaigning activities to head to flood-hit areas when parts of Selangor were inundated with flash floods.
Earlier in 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi said heavy flooding caused by torrential rain forced the evacuation of over 14,000 people in Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Sabah.
At that time, more than 10,000 of the flood victims were from the eastern state of Sabah.
In mid-December 2021, the country experienced its heaviest rainfall in the last century, leading to severe flooding in eight of the 11 states in Peninsular Malaysia. At least 54 people died, with floods persisting for three weeks.
The country was again pummelled by torrential rain during the New Year period, causing floods in six peninsular states and Sabah on Jan 2, 2022.
Datuk Seri Ismail’s administration had in 2022 approved projects worth RM7 billion as part of a RM15 billion flood mitigation programme.
The projects, which were directly awarded without competitive tenders, were halted by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after the Nov 19 General Election.
