26,000 evacuated from Malaysia floods

Flooding caused by heavy monsoon rains has forced more than 20,000 people to flee their homes in the southern Malaysian state of Johor, officials said Wednesday.

Flooding was also reported in the neighboring states of Malacca and Negeri Sembilan, but the situation there was not as serious.

About 22,000 people in eight districts of Johor had taken refuge in town halls, schools and community centers on higher ground by early Wednesday, Che Moin Umar of the Civil Defense Department told The Associated Press.

A police officer at an emergency operations center in the state capital of Johor Bahru put the number of evacuees at 26,000.

Che Moin said the number could increase in the coming week.

"The flood situation is still at a very worrying level," Che Moin said, "But management-wise, we have things under control ... there is enough food supply for the evacuees, warm blankets, medical assistance, we are OK."

Teams of army, police, firefighters and volunteers were searching for people who may be trapped in their homes, he said.

Continual rains since Sunday have caused major rivers to overflow into villages and towns in Johor, including Johor Bahru, which lies across a causeway from Singapore, bringing the state to a virtual standstill, The Star newspaper said.

Drainage and Irrigation Department records showed that such unusually heavy rains in Johor last occurred about 100 years ago, the New Straits Times said.

The rains eased by Wednesday morning but intermittent showers were forecast through Thursday.

Photographs in The Star and the New Straits Times showed village homes with only their zinc roofs visible above muddy floodwaters.