KUALA KRAI: A 20-year-old man was found drowned after he fell off a boat ferrying flood victims to the temporary evacuation centre at Kampung Manjor, near here last night.
Mohammad Hakimin Rahim's body was found by family members 8am today close to where he was reported to have fallen from the boat.
It is understood that the victim collapsed and fell into the river when he was ferrying two passengers in a boat to a nearby temporary evacuation centre about 10pm.
It is said that the deceased was tired and had cramps due to the cold weather after a long day of helping the villagers.
Meanwhile, Kuala Krai fire station head, Muhammad Rizwan Ar-Rafee Parsimin, said five firemen were rushed to the scene upon receiving a distress call at 10.07pm.
"A search and rescue (SAR) operation was initiated but was called off at 12.31am due to the darkness apart from rain and water rising at some low-lying areas.
"We were on standby to resume the SAR this morning but were informed that family members had found his body," he said when met at the fire station here today.
He added the body has been handed over to the police and was taken to Sultan Ismail Petra Hospital for further action.
Five States — Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor and Perak — are currently hit by floods due to heavy rains and rising river water levels.
Including Hakimin, the current floods have claimed 11 lives.