Floods in Kedah has claimed the first victim when a Form One student drowned while fishing with his brother at a flooded paddy field in Kampung Charok Bongor in Padang Terap today.

Padang Terap police chief DSP Ku Yaacob Ku Ahmad said during the 5.30pm incident, Mohd Zaki Amani Shaari, 13, was reported to have slipped and fallen into the flooded paddy field.

"The paddy field was submerged in five metres of flood water and the victim could not be rescued by his brother," he told reporters in Padang Terap today.

He said Mohd Zaki's body was found by villagers at 6.20pm when his family at the police station to lodge a report.

"His body was found not far from the spot he was reported to have fallen," he said adding that the body was taken to the Kuala Nerang Hospital for post-mortem.

Floods in Kedahh also saw the Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (LTSAH) in Kepala Batas runway submerged in flood waters, forcing its closure at 6pm today.

LTSAH operation chief Abdul Rashid Md Yusob said the closure of the airport had also caused three flights scheduled later today and four others scheduled for tomorrow morning, to be cancelled.

"The three cancelled flights are the Malaysian Airlines' flight to Kuala Lumpur, AirAsia flight to Kuala Lumpur and a Firefly flight to Subang," he said.

In Kangar , the flood situation continued to deteriorate as the number of evacuees state-wide rose to 4,536 this evening as compared with about 3,000 in the morning.

The State Welfare Department flood operations room spokesman said the victims, comprising 2,548 in Kangar, 1,154 in Padang Besar and 834 in Arau, were evacuated to 35 relief centres statewide.

Several relief centres were visited by the Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail and Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil today.

 Continuous rain

In Kelantan , two days of continuous rain saw flood waters continue to rise in a number of areas, forcing Kelantan Education Department director to instruct nine schools in Rantau Panjang and Tumpat to be closed for safety reasons.

The schools involved in the closure are Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sri Rantau Panjang 1, SK Sri Rantau Panjang 2, SK Rantau Panjang, SK Lubok Stol, SK Rahmat, SK Gual Tok Deh, SK Chenderong Batu, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Rantau Panjang and Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Khay Boon.

"We will monitor the flood situation before issuing any instruction for the schools to reopen. We do not want to risk the safety of the students," he said.

He also advised the parents to monitor their children's activities and safety during the closure of schools.

"We would also like to ask the principals and headmasters to take precautionary measures and put the school properties on a higher ground as a precaution if the flood situation continues to deteriorate," he added.

Electricity supply might be disconnected

In Kuala Lumpur , Tenaga Nasional Berhad in a statement today, said that it would temporarily disconnect electricity supply to flood-hit areas if flood waters reached the danger level.

It is to ensure the safety of the public and supply will be restored after the flood water subsided, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department, in its website, issued a red-level warning following heavy downpours in several areas in northern states and the east coast of the peninsula.

Among areas expected to be affected are Tumpat, Kota Baharu, Bachok, Pasir Puteh, Pasir Mas, Tanah Merah, Machang and Jeli in Kelantan, Kubang Pasu and Padang Terap in Kedah and the whole of Perlis.

 Mercy Malaysia providing aid

The Malaysian Medical Relief Society (Mercy Malaysia) has also activated its domestic flood response mechanisms in preparation to provide aid to the flood victims in the affected states.

Its President Dr Ahmal Faizal Perdaus said Mercy Malaysia was now coordinating with their Northern Region Chapter as well as with the National Security Council (NSC) and local authorities in the region.

"We have mobilised our volunteers to conduct need assessments in the affected areas, especially in the states of Kedah and Perlis, to determine the needs of the beneficiaries," he said in a statement here today.

He said Mercy had dispatched 900 hygiene kits to the northern region which contains tooth paste, tooth brush, comb, soap, shampoo, slippers, towel, sanitary pads, undergarment and pails.

The public can donate to the Mercy Malaysia General Humanitarian Fund through Maybank (account: MERCY HUMANITARIAN FUND, account number: 5621-7950-4126, ABA Swift Code: MBBEMYKLA) or CIMB Bank (account name: MERCY Malaysia, account number:1424-000-6561053, ABA Swift Code: CIBBMYKL) or through online www.mercy.org.my.

- Bernama