Southern Malaysia copes with worst rain in a century

Last Updated: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 | 1:45 PM ET

CBC News

More than 20,000 people have had to flee their homes in southern Malaysia after the heaviest rainfall in a century and officials said Wednesday the situation remained critical.

The hardest-hit part of the country was the southern state of Johor, officials said.

Heavy rain since Sunday caused rivers to overflow into villages and towns and much of the state has been brought to a standstill.

No deaths or serious injuries have been reported, but there were reports of minor accidents in Singapore.

The rain started to ease on Wednesday but the forecast continues to call for intermittent showers for the next few days.

"The rain is expected to continue until Friday as the northeast monsoon brings showers to central Johor," Abdul Ghani, the chief minister for the state of Johor, was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

Police, fire, rescue and health officials have been dispatched into the area to help flood victims.

In the capital Kuala Lumpur, the government said it was ready to approve emergency funds to help flood victims in Johor, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told Bernama.

People have headed to town halls, schools and community centres on higher ground, Che Moin Umar of the Civil Defence Department told the Associated Press.