PETALING JAYA: The number of flood evacuees rose by more than 40,000 to over 160,000 as the floods worsened due to bad weather.
Rescue and relief efforts intensified as Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak, Johor, Perlis and Selangor recorded a rise in the number of evacuees yesterday.
The floods have killed eight people, including an 18-month-old child, two cousins and a husband and wife.
Kelantan was the worst-hit state, with the number of victims displaced nearly doubling to 81,925 from 45,467 on Friday.
They are part of 160,921 victims nationwide seeking shelter as at 3pm yesterday, up from 120,341 on Friday.
In Pahang, the number of evacuees stood at 35,564, Terengganu at 35,246, Perak at 6,730, Johor at 1,096, Perlis at 195, Selangor at 85 and Negri Sembilan at 80.
There is no sign yet that the situation will improve, with the Meteorological Department issuing an alert to warn of the possibility of monsoon rains occurring from tomorrow to Wednesday.
States affected by the alert are Perlis, Kedah, north Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Sabah (Kudat and Sandakan) and Sarawak (Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah and Betong).
In Kelantan, Welfare Department director Nik Omar Nik Abdul Rahman said the victims were being sheltered at 254 evacuation centres.
More food items and relief supplies have begun arriving by air to Kelantan at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, including donations by ordinary Malaysians and non-governmental organisations.
Airport manager Ramzi Ahmad said the airport remained open although some areas nearby were already flooded, including parts of Jalan Sabak, Jalan Pengkalan Chepa and Jalan Tok Guru.
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