News - Tsunami death toll rises to 67 in Malaysia

A victim of the tsunami died in a hospital in north state of Kedah on Sunday, bringing Malaysia's death toll to 67 after the tidal waves hit the west coast of the country last Sunday.



Sungai Petani Hospital Director Harif Fadzillah confirmed that the latest casualty was Rodziah Abdullah, 57, from Kampung Kepala Jalan, Kota Kuala Muda.



"Rodziah died this morning after being in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for a week. Two other victims in ICU are in stable condition," he was quoted by Malaysia National News Agency as saying.



He said they were Rodziah's grandson, Muhammad Umar Adani Johari, 3, and her daughter, Habsah Baharom, 33, while four other tsunami victims were at the normal ward.



The tsunami claimed 11 people in Kedah, one of Malaysian three worst-hit states.



The tsunami death toll in the country rose to 66 last Wednesday,announced by the Malaysian Control Center in the federal police headquarters.



The tsunami, triggered by a massive earthquake in Indian Ocean near Indonesian island of Sumatra last Sunday, struck several states on the country's west coast.



Most public celebrations to usher in 2005 had been cancelled or postponed following a call by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that prayers be conducted instead, as a mark of respect for victims of the killer tsunami.



Source: Xinhua Net