Malaysian prime minister cuts vacation short over floods

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he is cutting short his U.S vacation Friday to deal with his country's worst floods in years.

Five people have been killed and more than 100,000 displaced following unusually strong torrential rains in the southeast Asian country.

Authorities evacuated numerous villages and towns in five Malaysian states. Najib, who was pictured playing golf with President Obama in Hawaii on Wednesday, faced criticism over the timing of his vacation.

In posts on Twitter and Facebook on Friday, Najib said: "I'm deeply concerned by the floods and am returning to see the situation for myself. My thoughts and prayers are with all who are suffering."

More than 105,000 people have sought shelter in schools, community halls and other relief centers, according to flood monitoring centers. It surpasses the previous record of 100,000 people evacuated during floods in 2008, Reuters reported.

The five dead include a toddler who was swept away by strong currents after she fell from her mother's arms while they were wading in waters on their way to a relief center.

In in a statement from the prime minister's office, Najib said: "While I have been away, I have been in constant contact with the National Security Council and the National Disaster Management and Relief Committee, who have assured me that they are doing everything they can to help those who have been affected," according to state news agency Bernama.

"But I want to see the situation for myself and be with the people," he said, according to the agency.

The statement quoted a government spokesperson saying that Najib would land in Kelantan state on Saturday, Bernama said.

Forecasters said heavy rain was expected to continue until the weekend.

Flooding in Malaysia is common during the annual north-east monsoon season, between October and December. This year's rain has been particularly heavy.

Some states and districts in the country have canceled their plans for New Year celebrations as a mark of respect for flood victims, according to AFP.

Meanwhile in Sri Lanka, officials said at least nine people were killed in mudslides triggered by heavy rains in the country's central hills Friday. More than 60,000 people were evacuated and 3,000 homes destroyed in the last four days, disaster officials said.

Ten years ago, the Indian Ocean tsunami killed a quarter of a million people and displaced millions across Southeast Asia. Events have been taking place across the region Friday to mark the disaster.

Contributing: Associated Press