KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15: Monsoon rains and flooding have killed 17 people in Malaysia, made 20,000 homeless and could push up food and palm oil prices.

The New Straits Times newspaper reported on Saturday that the Meteorological Department forecast more heavy rain for at least the next four days and Pahang and Kelantan states have been put on red alert.

Kelantan registered the most deaths with eight, the paper said. The monsoon rains have cut off roads.

Economists have said the rains could cause an increase in food and palm oil prices in Malaysia, one of the world’s largest producers of the edible oil, which is used in products ranging from shampoo and ice-cream to biofuels.—Reuters