Floods hit southern Malaysia, 50,000 homeless

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 (Reuters) Heavy rains in southern Malaysian have forced some 50,000 people to seek higher ground after many victims had just returned to their homes following the worst floods in 37 years, local media today said.

The fresh floods cut off several major roads in the southern state of Johor, a major oil palm and rubber growing region. The state's capital, Johor Baru, was the worst hit area, with nearly 20,000 people evacuated, the official Bernama news agency reported.

The situation is expected to worsen with rain forecast to continue until Monday.

Last month floods killed 15 people and displaced over 100,000.

The damage bill was estimated at more than 100 million ringgit.

REUTERS SY RAI0929