Heavy rain flooded several areas of Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on October 1, with water reaching waist-high levels in parts of the state capital. Cars were partially submerged and traffic came to a standstill.

Firefighters rescued 37 pupils and seven teachers from the Umiku Sayang kindergarten and nursery on Jalan Muhd Amin after floodwaters rose faster than adults could move the children to safety. Crews used a volunteer’s boat to reach the site, and all 44 were evacuated safely with no injuries reported, according to the Malay Mail.

The affected areas included Nong Chik, Jalan Yahya Awal, Jalan Ayer Molek and Jalan Wong Ah Fook. High tides worsened the flooding, Channel News Asia reported.

The Johor government has allocated an additional RM30 million for flood recovery and mitigation, on top of existing funds. The state Housing and Local Government chairman said four urgent measures would be fast-tracked, including a detailed drainage study.

Despite RM100 million spent on flood measures in the past four years, officials said the weather remains unpredictable. Malaysia’s meteorological department has warned of more heavy rain across the peninsula.