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Flooding in low-lying areas has forced 12,000 villagers in Kelantan and Terengganu to seek refuge in relief centres. In Terengganu, some major roads were submerged while others were closed due to landslides, Bernama news agency said yesterday.

Train services were also affected: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad suspended its south-bound inter-city express train services along the east coast.

According to a statement from the company, the services cancelled were the Wau Express that services the Tumpat-Kuala Lumpur route and Timuran Express from Tumpat to Singapore.

Flood operation officials in Kelantan told Bernama that about 3,000 people were evacuated to relief centres yesterday morning as monsoon rain caused rivers to swell and overflow their banks. It said about 9,000 villagers in Terengganu had sought shelter in relief centres.

The meteorological department has also issued its highest-level red alert following the formation of a tropical depression in the South China Sea, according to Agence France-Presse.

The depression is expected to lead to storms and high waves that are likely to affect Kelantan, Terengganu and eastern Pahang this week with windspeeds of up to 65kmh and waves as high as 3.5m.

The states of Perak, Kedah and Perlis may also experience intermittent and occasional heavy rain, said the meteorological department.

There has also been a major outbreak of cholera due to contaminated food and water in Terengganu, with one death reported.

In southern Thailand, two people have died and tens of thousands have fled their homes because of flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rain.

More than 60 schools have been closed and many villages have been cut off as roads and main highways were submerged by floodwaters.

Several five-star hotels and entertainment venues in the south were also forced to close due to the floods, reported Thai News Agency.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said aid will be dispatched to the affected areas, the Bangkok Post reported yesterday.