Kuala Nerang fire and rescue department head Aminuddin Mad Khozali said they were alerted to the incident at 8.30am and firemen reached the location 20 minutes later.

He identified the victims as Salmah Mat Zain, 46, and her son, Rosman Rohaidi, 19, who is a person with disabilities.

Search operations in the area are being conducted using a boat.

Personnel from the Pokok Sena, Sungai Petani and Jitra stations have also been roped in to assist in the search operation.

It was reported that the mother and son rode their motorcycle to buy nasi lemak from a place 3km away after the main road was flooded.

On their way back home, they parked their motorcycle at a resident’s house and attempted to brave the floodwaters.

A witness, villager Sofi Rhazalee, 39, said he saw two people struggling in the fast-flowing floodwaters.

He saw them clinging to a rubber tree as they attempted to cross. He shouted for them to turn back but Salmah lost her grip and her son, who has a disability, tried to pull her back.

They were eventually swept away by the currents.