Wading through brown floodwater, rescue volunteer Saifulamri Tumiran searched tirelessly for signs of life in Yong Peng, a town in the Malaysian state of Johor, on Saturday (March 4).

He was primarily searching for four-legged survivors of the floods, that were left trapped in homes and farms in the area.

The 36-year-old farmer lives in a part of Johor that has been severely affected by flooding. He has been working to help pets and livestock whose lives are being threatened by the high water levels.

“We cannot leave our livestock in such flooded conditions. We have many animals and we cannot bear to abandon them,” Tumiran said. “We will always be able to replace our belongings, but we need to prioritise saving our livestock and lives first.”

The floods were caused by days of heavy rain and have forced almost 40,000 people to flee their homes in Malaysia's southern Johor state, which borders Singapore. Officials said on Saturday that at least four people have been killed in the floods.

More than 200 flood relief shelters have been opened in Johor as the number of people displaced by the floods increased, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).

Floods in Malaysia are common during the annual monsoon season between October and March. While Johor is among the worst-hit states, hundreds of people have been displaced by flooding in other areas.

The meteorological department warned of more rain in the coming days, which is most likely to affect states in the south of the country.