Flood situation in Malaysia's northern states worsens

Volunteers evacuate a man on a stretcher to a helicopter at National Park in Kuala Tahan to Jerantut, in Pahang December 24, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

KUALA LUMPUR -- The flood situation in Malaysia's northern states has worsened with the number of evacuees rising to over 150,000 Monday morning, according to local government officials.

Nik Omar Nik Abdul Rahman, Kelantan's State Social Welfare Department director, said the flood victims from 36,128 families were housed at 309 relief centers in eight districts with Kota Baharu district still has the highest number of flood evacuees at 44,061.

In the state of Pahang, the number of flood evacuees this morning has risen to 33,225 from 31,095 Sunday.

In the state of Perak, the number of evacuees has also risen to 7,813 this morning from 7,539 last night. A spokesman for the Perak National Security Council (MKN) said the victims were housed at 54 flood relief centers.

According to reports reaching here, many villagers are stranded without supplies, electricity or cash to buy candles or canned food as roads remain cut off to all land transport in many parts of the flood affected states.

According to local reports, at least 10 people were killed and 160,000 homeless in the flood.