GEORGE TOWN • The tail effects of Vietnam's Typhoon Doksuri, which caused flash floods across Penang on Friday, are expected to wreak more havoc on the Malaysian island until today.

According to a meteorological department official, continuous thunderstorms are expected in Penang at least until this afternoon, even though the typhoon had made landfall.

"The tail-end effects of Doksuri will continue to bring rain in Penang and other northern states for at least another day.

"Flash floods can also be expected as the high tide will block Penang's waterways," the official added.

A factory worker was killed after she tried to ride her motorcycle through floodwaters near Jalan Paya Terubong and was swept away by strong currents. The body of Ms Noor Afidah Yajunas, 30, was found in a river in Bukit Jambul yesterday.

"We couldn't do anything because the current was so powerful," said motorcyclist V. Ramakrishnan, 57, who witnessed the incident on Friday. He said the road had become "a swift-flowing river".

Rising waters reaching almost two metres affected more than 100 homes in Penang on Friday, and brought the morning rush hour traffic to a standstill as all main routes to the central business district in George Town were cut off.

Firemen struggled to secure cars that were seen floating in Bandar Baru Air Itam and Paya Terubong.

Meanwhile, a landslide at the Kayangan Puri Mutiara apartments in Tanjung Bungah buried six cars, but no one was injured.

"We conducted checks on the vehicles and removed fallen trees. No one was trapped," said Penang Fire and Rescue Department spokesman Mohd Azman Hussin.

There were also five small landslips on the road up to the Air Itam dam, which has been closed pending repairs and an assessment on road safety.

A total of 559 flood victims were housed in seven temporary relief centres in Penang after their homes were flooded, said Mr Azman.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, BERNAMA