Malaysia has issued its highest "red stage" rain warning for the southern state of Johor, triggering fears of a third wave of flooding after weeks of chaos caused by torrential downpours.

The Meteorological Services Department said in a statement late yesterday that moderate to heavy rain was expected to persist until Sunday in Johor, which borders Singapore, and central Pahang state.

Residents in the flood zone, where tens of thousands were forced to shelter in evacuation centres during the crisis which has peaked twice since late December, said they were not bothering to do repairs yet in light of the warning.

"I only cleaned up the house a little because we fear the floods will come again, for the third time," 61-year-old Hassan Saadon told the official Bernama news agency.

Danger mark

Hassan said his family cleared up the flood damage after the first wave of floods in the closing days of 2006, only to be devastated again just two days later when bad weather returned.

State Drainage and Irrigation Department chief Chong Chee Han said river levels had already beached their danger mark.

"We never had heavy flooding twice within a month, but that too has occurred. All we can hope for is that a third wave does not happen," he told the Star newspaper.

The floods, the worst in a century, have claimed 17 lives and caused damage worth RM350 million (US$100 million) to infrastructure in the south. The private sector has reportedly estimated economic losses at RM2.4 billion.