ALOR SETAR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Four people were still missing after rescue officers spent the night searching for victims of flash floods in Kedah following an evening downpour in the northwestern Malaysian state.

The Kedah Civil Defence Force and Kedah Disaster Management Committee said in a joint statement on Thursday (Aug 19) that three people died while three more were injured and four are still missing from the heavy floods that affected multiple areas in the state, causing evacuations, including that of Covid-19 patients, in three districts.

"The rains on Wednesday evening caused major floods in the Yan, Kuala Muda and Bandar Baharu districts," said the state authorities.

"The heavy rains caused a massive volume of water to gush down a stream on Gunung Jerai into the surrounding area in the Yan district, trapping 20 people on the Jerai Hill Resort.

"Many areas were severely affected and homes were damaged due to the rainfall. There are victims still trapped in their respective homes."

The disaster management committee said the search-and-rescue operation at Gunung Jerai ended at 11.30pm on Wednesday while the search-and-rescue operation at Titi Hayun resumed on Thursday morning, adding that a separate evacuation centre for Covid-19 patients was available but empty as of Thursday morning.

Earlier, it was reported by The Star that 14 Covid-19 patients, 45 on home quarantine orders and another 60 people had to be evacuated due to the flash floods.

A Covid-19 positive family affected by the flash flood were were allowed to stay at their house as it was not badly affected.

Kedah chief minister Muhammad Sanusi said three victims were found dead in several locations around the Gunung Jerai at 1am on Wednesday.

The hashtag #PrayforYan was trending on Malaysian Twitter on Thursday.

Video clips of the downpour and floods there have gone viral since Wednesday night, leading many to tweet their sympathies and support for the residents there.