MetMalaysia director-general Hisham Anip said rainfall of between 200mm and 300mm is expected during this period. The rain is expected to ease by Sunday as the storm moves into the South China Sea.

“This is the first time MetMalaysia has observed such a storm forming in the Straits of Malacca,” he said during a press conference here.

“Strong winds of up to 50km/h are expected from today and will continue for at least the next 24 hours.

“Malaysia usually experiences winds of only 10 to 20km/h, but Tropical Storm Senyar has intensified due to warm sea temperatures and La Niña conditions,” Hisham explained.

He advised the public to drive cautiously and to keep important documents in a safe place during the storm.

Hisham also said MetMalaysia is providing regular weather updates to KLIA authorities.

He said the storm is expected to gain momentum from Sunday once it reaches the South China Sea.

Hisham explained that the storm would gain strength when it interacts with warm sea waters, and MetMalaysia expects it to gain further momentum when it merges with a larger typhoon system near the Philippines.

Rainfall over the past two days has reached 120 to 150mm overnight in parts of the Klang Valley and along the west coast, triggering flash floods and landslides in low-lying areas.

MetMalaysia has issued three alerts – heavy rain, strong winds, and rough seas – for Kedah, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, and Kelantan until Nov 29, with updates provided every three hours since Nov 23.

Hisham said heavy rain is also expected to affect the rest of Peninsular Malaysia until Nov 29.

He added that Sabah and Sarawak would not be affected by the storm.

The public is advised to contact the MetMalaysia hotline at 1-300-22-1638 for further information.