Severe flooding in Malaysia's north has forced the evacuation of more than 5,000 people, and more bad weather is on its way.

The Meteorological Services department issued a tropical storm warning after detecting a depression over the South China Sea.

"This tropical depression has the potential of becoming a tropical storm within the next 24 hours," it said on its website.

Strong winds and rough seas are expected to persist over the coastal waters of the peninsula's east coast until tomorrow, it added.

Floodwaters hit Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis states on Saturday.

Northeastern Kelantan and Terengganu, which were struck by massive floods last month, were again affected in this latest round while Perlis, on the northwest, also succumbed after days of heavy rain.

Water at danger level

The official Bernama news agency said 3,865 people have evacuated in Terengganu while another 1,649 residents of neighbouring Kelantan were moved to evacuation centres.

A spokesman at the Kelantan flood operation centre told Bernama that the water levels of several rivers had exceeded their danger levels.

Kelantan Drainage and Irrigation Department director Lim Chow Hock reportedly said the water level in the main river was expected to continue rising rapidly due to heavy rains in remote areas of the state.

In Perlis, more than 50 people were evacuated after floods hit on Saturday night.