Death toll from heavy flooding in Malaysia climbs to 41; 8 still missing

The death toll from heavy seasonal floods in Malaysia has risen to 41, with eight people still missing, the police said on Friday.

It was previously reported that 27 people were killed in the floods. At present, there are 26 men, 13 women and two children killed in the floods.

"Of the 41 deaths, 25 were reported in Selangor, 15 in Pahang and one man in Kelantan," Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said, as quoted by The Star newspaper.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department forecasts heavy rains and thunder storms in the coastal states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan on Saturday.

Flooding is common in Malaysia during the rainy season, but it turned disastrous after torrential rains hit the country's east on December 17 and continued until December 19. The heavy rains stopped on Monday and the flood waters began to recede, buy they are still up to 5 feet high in many regions of the country.