By K.M. LEW

ALOR SETAR: More than 19,000 people have been evacuated in Kedah and Perlis, while a 13-year-old boy drowned after he was swept away by floodwaters.

     Padang Terap OCPD Deputy Supt Ku Yaacob Ku Hamad said the incident occured while the boy was fishing at Kampung Charok Bongor, near Kuala Nerang, around 5pm Tuesday.

     Villagers found the body of the boy, identified only as Mohd Zaki, an hour later.

     In Jitra, a 64-year-old German woman has been missing after she slipped and fell into floodwaters as she was leaving a house in Kampung Kerenjis Kota Giam with her son and Malaysian daughter-in-law.

     Police said Erna Fischer slipped and fell into the floodwaters at 8.30pm on Monday and has not been found yet.

     Kubang Pasu OCPD Supt Sawaluddin Hamenuddin said police, with the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department and villagers, have mounted a search for the woman.

     Meanwhile, Kedah National Security Council spokesman Ridzuan Yahya said Tuesday that 10,834 people from Kubang Pasu were evacuated to 31 relief centres, while in Padang Terap, 3,478 were moved to 33 centres and in Kota Setar, 709 to eight relief centres.

     The number of evacuees in Pokok Sena increased to 488 people, who were evacuated at seven relief centres.

     He said the water level at Sungai Bata in Kubang Pasu district was recorded at 10.22m, above the danger level of 9.14m.

     He added that in Kota Setar, the water level at Sungai Kepala Batas was recorded at 5.02m, above the danger level of 3.80m, and Sungai Pantai Johor recorded 2.72m, above the danger level of two metres.

     Ridzuan said Sungai Naka river in Padang Terap district, Sungai Kubu and Sungai Padang Sanai were below the danger levels.

     Four relief centres in Padang Terap were closed and 166 people were allowed to return home.

     In KANGAR, Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu said more than 4,000 people have been evacuated to 42 relief centres.

     He added that about 11,000ha of padi fields belonging to the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) and individuals had been damaged since the rains started on Sunday.

     State Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) director Nishad Mohamed Mohd Shaffy said the cause of the flooding was due the sudden rising of water for a few days at several main rivers.

     Nishad said the Timah Tasoh dam reading was at 30.49m at midnight, beyond the 29.6m, which is classified as the danger level.

     "However we are confident if the weather stabilises, the water level will reduce to normal in three days," he added.

     DID director of water resources and hydrology Hanafi Mohamad Noor said the red alert warning was terminated by the Meteorological Department at noon Tuesday.

     He said the flood was caused due to abnormal rainfall since Oct 30.

     "The water level at all the stations in the state still shows the rising of water despite the rainfall slowing down," he added.