Heavy rain outside Suria KLCC in Kuala Lumpur
Heavy rain outside Suria KLCC in Kuala Lumpur on March 25, 2008. Illustrative file photo; Kuala Lumpur is not one of the locations named in the Nov. 8 continuous-rain alert. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kuala_Lumpur,_Malaysia,_Tropical_rain_in_KLCC.jpg License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0

Residents in parts of the east coast and Sabah face a continuous-rain alert running through Wednesday, Nov. 11, with MetMalaysia identifying specific districts rather than issuing a blanket warning for every part of the four affected states.

The department's alert, issued at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, covers nine Kelantan districts, all of Terengganu and three districts in Pahang. The Sabah portion applies from Monday, Nov. 9, to Wednesday.

People planning journeys should check the district list and the latest official updates before travelling. The bulletin is a forecast warning; it does not establish that every named location is already flooded or that every road is impassable.

Which Areas Are Covered?

In Kelantan, the named districts are Tanah Merah, Pasir Mas, Tumpat, Kota Bharu, Machang, Bachok, Pasir Puteh, Kuala Krai and Jeli. In Pahang, they are Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin.

For Sabah, the alert names Kudat and the Sandakan areas of Paitan, Telupid, Labuk and Sugut, Sandakan and Kinabatangan. These are the locations specified in the Nov. 8 continuous-rain bulletin.

The distinction matters when reading a headline about several states: the warning covers all of Terengganu, but the other states have particular areas listed. Residents should use the locality details and the validity dates together.

What the Alert Level Means

The bulletin uses the Waspada, or alert, category. MetMalaysia's continuous-rain criteria distinguish three levels: alert, severe and danger. An alert can be issued when continuous rain is expected over one to three days, or when ongoing rain is expected to continue.

The higher categories concern heavier or torrential continuous rainfall. The wording in this bulletin should therefore be reported at its stated level, without relabelling it as the most severe warning.

Continuous-rain alerts also serve a different time horizon from the department's thunderstorm warnings. Those short-term warnings cover a period no longer than six hours and draw on observations, radar, satellite information and forecasts.

A short burst of heavy weather and a longer period of sustained rain can overlap, but their warnings are not interchangeable. MetMalaysia says a thunderstorm situation that worsens and lasts beyond six hours can lead to a continuous-rain warning. Checking the issue time helps readers avoid treating an expired short-term notice as a current forecast.

Keep Flooded Roads Out of Travel Plans

The National Disaster Management Agency's flood-safety guidance advises the public to avoid flooded roads, keep children away from floodwater and stay clear of fallen power lines. Residents should follow instructions to move to temporary evacuation centres when directed.

Where it is safe to do so before leaving, the agency advises shutting off the main electricity, water and gas supplies. The instruction is not a reason to enter water or expose oneself to an electrical hazard to reach a switch.

NADMA's broader disaster information brochure also encourages early preparation, including an emergency bag and awareness of evacuation routes. Documents and essential supplies are easier to organise before access is disrupted.

Updates are available through MetMalaysia's official website and myCuaca application. The department lists its hotline as 1-300-22-1638. The practical priority is to monitor the latest warning for the relevant district and follow local authorities' instructions as conditions change.