MARANG - The monsoon floods sweeping the east coast of Malaysia have claimed their first victim - a 12-year-old boy in Terengganu.

Khalid Al-Walid Juzaiman, was found drowned in a canal in Kampung Tok Hakim, Bukit Payung on Tuesday (Nov 28) afternoon, reported national news agency Bernama.

A spokesman from the Fire and Rescue Department said Khalid was reported to have fallen into the canal, which was swollen with heavy rain from the night before, at about 10 am. He was playing nearby with two friends.

In his statement the spokesman said the boy was found about 30 metres away from where he had fallen into the water.

Meanwhile floods in both Kelantan and Terengganu worsened on Tuesday afternoon, with over 4,781 people moved to 93 relief centres in the two states as at 4pm, as heavy downpours continued in several areas and the levels of some rivers rose to breach their danger points.

The Kelantan Drainage and Irrigation Department reported that the Golok River at Rantau Panjang and Pasir Mas had risen to 10.3m, breaching its danger point of 9m.

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Baharum was reported to have said Tuesday that 2,500 members of the Malaysian Armed Forces were on standby to help flood victims in both the states.