Already crocodiles are menacing villagers, 13 people have died and 33,000 have been evacuated. Now forecasts of more heavy rain mean things could be about to get worse for flood-hit Malaysia.

As monsoon downpours continued to pound the country, a meteorological official said an orange warning — the second-highest alert — has been issued for much of the country while monsoon rains have cut off roads in several states including Kelantan and Terengganu in the east and Johor in the south.

Johor was the worst hit, with 13,000 residents fleeing to higher ground, the New Straits Times reported at the weekend.

Some villagers in the state are living in fear of crocodiles, which have been seen feasting on dead chickens dumped by poultry farms.

And making matters worse for Johor residents, many who rely on income from rubber-tapping to support their families have been unable to work for three weeks because of the continuous rain.

One of the victims was a three-year-old girl in central Pahang state whose body was found trapped under a tree trunk. A 15-year-old boy also drowned in northern Kelantan state while playing in flood waters in front of his house.

Government agencies are now trying to overcome food-shortage problems faced by those sheltering in relief centres.

Food and especially potable water are becoming a worry.

‘There is also a shortage of diapers and infant formula for the babies. We would really appreciate donations as the current wet spell means napkins cannot dry,’ said one village headman in Kampung Jawa.

The state of Johor is a major oil palm and rubber growing region and a key source of vegetables and poultry.

Plantation officials say heavy rains have slowed the harvest and transport of palm oil.
Malaysia is one of the world’s largest producers of the edible oil, which is used in products ranging from shampoo and ice-cream to biofuels.

Malaysia’s palm oil output will be less than forecast this year due to the ongoing floods, a Cabinet minister said late last week.

Production is likely to slide to around 15.7 million to 15.8 million metric tons this year, down from an earlier forecast of 16.2 million tons, said Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Peter Chin.

“We are expected to lose around 500,000 (metric) tons of output due to floods this year,” Chin told reporters.

“The floods in Johor, one of the largest palm oil producing provinces by volume, are not a good sign and are expected to affect output,” he said.

Some economists warn the floods could also drive up food prices, similar to the situation early this year when the country was hit by the worst floods in nearly 40 years.

Meanwhile, more than 200,000 fowls in several farms in Bukit Kepong have been moved as the water reached the chicken coops, drawing crocodiles onto the flooded doorsteps of local villages.