Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting with his Thai counterpart, Anutin Charnvirakul, on the sidelines of the eighth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland.

Zahid said sudden water discharges from Thailand previously caused severe flooding and damage in Kelantan, while completed flood mitigation projects on the Thai side led to rising water levels along the border.

“To ensure adequate preparations ahead of the northeast monsoon expected in November, I proposed that Thailand notify Malaysia at least three to four days before releasing water from the dam.

“This proposal has been agreed to by the Thai side, and an early notification mechanism will be established for the safety and welfare of people in both countries.

“This is an important initial step to be refined with other follow-up actions to ensure that disaster preparedness can be implemented more effectively,” he said in a statement.

In March, Malaysia reported RM933.4 million in flood-related losses for 2024, a 23.5% increase from RM755.4 million in 2023.

According to the statistics department, Kelantan recorded the highest losses at RM263 million, followed by Kedah (RM193.7 million) and Terengganu (RM182 million).

Homes sustained the most damage (RM372.2 million), followed by public infrastructure (RM303.4 million) and agriculture (RM185.2 million).