SHAH ALAM, Dec 21 — The bodies of 17 people have been found in Selangor as floodwaters start subsiding.

However, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said it is still too early to confirm if all 17 drowned in the floodwaters.

"At this moment, we are identifying the exact cause of these deaths as some may not be directly caused by the floods per se,” he told a news conference here this afternoon.

He said Klang had the most deaths at 10. Four bodies were found in Sepang and three in the Hulu Langat district.

Amirudin also stated that to date, some 30,632 victims from 4,670 families are seeking shelter in 203 temporary evacuation centres in the state.

Speaking to the volunteers who wished to help flood victims or donate funds for the flood relief, Amirudin pleaded for a coordination of resources by all interested parties who should contact the relevant authorities that are responsible for flood relief efforts in a particular area.

While Amirudin acknowledged that he cannot stop people from embarking on their volunteer mission, he expressed the importance of focusing all efforts to ensure the right help is available to those who need it.

"While I cannot stop people from embarking on their own volunteer mission to help those in flood-hit areas, I plead for them to reach out to our officers in charge of said areas.

"If possible, we need to know as we are worried about money, time and effort being wasted. The best possible course is to focus our efforts,” he said.