Ikmal Hakimi Mahasan, 20, a student of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia was found drowned in Kampung Bentong here this afternoon.

He is the third person to have died in the floods. Halijah Majid, 59, drowned last Saturday after she fell into a drain in Kampung Contoh near Kluang, Johor; Muhamad Amsyar Mohd Zamri, 5, drowned after falling into Sungai Jerong Bikam in Sungkai, Perak, yesterday.

A Pahang woman, Rozi Omar, 52, and her daughter Zakirah Ahmad Husin, 19, are feared drowned after the boat they were in sank in Sungai Jelai, Kampung Bertang in Lipis, Pahang, while on their way home. Her husband and another child who were also with them, escaped.

Another victim, Md Rajihan Junaidi, 28, who went missing after he was swept away by the currents while in a Proton Waja car at Batu 18, Jalan Batu Pahat-Mersing, Kahang near Kluang, Johor, last Saturday, is still not found.

Five states have been hit by floods following heavy rains. They are Johor, Terengganu, Perak, Kelantan and Selangor.

Though the number of evacuees in Johor has decreased, Kota Tinggi town centre has been inundated with water up to 2m deep and some people are still left stranded.

According to Kota Tinggi district police chief Supt Hussin Zamora, the floods in the town area were also caused by high tide in Sungai Kota Tinggi on Saturday and this is expected to last until Wednesday.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department today predicted severe weather with heavy rains expected to continue until tomorrow in Terengganu, Pahang and Johor.

The East Coast Expressway between Gambang and Sri Jaya was reopened to vehicles after the water receded but another stretch at Km 84.6 was closed today.