Thousands of people were stranded in flood evacuation centers in three northern states, but a weather official said the situation was expected to improve in the next few days.

Penang, Kedah and Perlis states would continue to experience showers until the weekend but the rains would not be heavy, said Azmi Atan, an official with the Meteorological Services department.

"We hope the let-up in the rain will allow water levels to recede," he told

Flash floods which have hit the northern states since last week caused three deaths and forced thousands of people to be evacuated to higher ground as many homes were either washed away or submerged.

Army assistance

The military deployed armoured carriers in some areas to transport people to relief centers, which have hosted almost 39,000 people, the Bernama news agency said.

Penang, a high-tech industrial area which houses top US and Japanese electronic giants such as Motorola and Hitachi, is among the worst hit states.

In Kedah, known as the "rice bowl" of Malaysia for its large paddy fields, a total of 17,489 evacuees still remained in flood relief centres but the situation improved in the resort island of Langkawi allowing residents to return to their homes.

Officials estimate the cost of the damage will run into millions of dollars. - AFP