Two drown as floods worsen in three states

ALOR SETAR: The death toll has risen to two and more than 36,000 people have been driven to relief centres as the floods in Perlis, Kedah and Kelantan worsened, forcing the closure of roads, rail services, schools and government offices.

Kedah is the worst hit of the three states, where the floods have claimed two lives so far and forced the evacuation of 25,088 people as at 5pm as well as washed out the plans of several Hindu families to celebrate Deepavali on Friday.

A 64-year-old German woman, Erna Fischer, who went missing on Monday night while trying to leave her son’s house at Kampung Kerenjis Kota Giam near Jitra, was found dead by a search team at 5.45pm yesterday not far from her house which was hit by floods.

Form One student Mohd Zaki Amani Shaari, 13, drowned after he slipped and fell into a flooded padi field while fishing with his brother in Kampung Charok Bongor in Padang Terap.

Two sisters are also feared drowned after falling into a canal at Kampung Telaga Mas in Alor Setar yesterday. They have been identified as Siti Nadia Shukor, 13, and Sharifah Shukor, eight.

A 14-year-old girl, who was riding the machine with Siti and Sharifah riding pillion, lost control and they ended up in the canal.

The rider managed to cling on a tree branch until villagers rescued her while the two sisters were swept away by the strong current.

The number of evacuees in Kubang Pasu had increased to 15,616. Up to 11,411 people had moved out of their homes in Perlis and 475 in Kelantan.

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