KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN police said monsoon rains have led to worsening floods in eastern Sarawak state on Borneo island, forcing more than 7,000 residents to be evacuated.

Terrence Oliver, Sarawak's police chief of operations, said 7,042 people had been moved to evacuation centres as of early Monday after their homes were flooded over the weekend.

He said the rains had stopped for now but high tides might sweep inland, causing flooding rivers to rise further and inundate low-lying areas on Monday and Tuesday, but the situation might improve on Wednesday.

Extensive thunderstorms and flooding are common in eastern Malaysia during the annual monsoon season between November and February. -- AP