The flood situation in Malaysia has improved, but 74,000 people remain at relief centres and victims face months without electricity and the threat from crocodiles, officials said.

Welfare officials said hundreds had returned home in the worst affected southern state of Johor, where seven people have died, but at least 65,500 remained at evacuation centres.

Parts of Johor's Kota Tinggi district are still under water and residents face power failures, local police said, adding that a 17-year-old boy has been reported missing.

"The flood situation is improving. But we face some power failure and police are looking for a young boy reported missing," local police chief Muhamad Shamsuddin told AFP .

Muhamad said the police had deployed up to 400 personnel to ensure security, adding that no new arrests had been made following earlier reports of looting in flood-affected areas.

"We have heard of crocodile sightings. We urge the public to remain cautious," he said.

The floods marred Christmas celebrations in the affected areas of Malaysia, which is predominantly Muslim.

Pastor Yin Tong Joo from the Chinese Methodist Church in Johor's Segamat district said church members were too busy cleaning their homes to celebrate.

About 30 families from the church were affected by the floods and most of them have taken shelter with relatives and other church members, Bernama news agency quoted him as saying.

No power supply

National utility giant Tenaga Nasional Bhd warned that thousands of households would have to go without electricity for months as flood waters have damaged substations.

A total of 788 substations, mainly in Johor, have been closed down since Sunday, affecting some 75,000 households, it said.

"The flood is the worst experience by TNB over the last 30 years," the Star newspaper quoted Che Khalib Mohamad Noh as saying.

Other states hit by the floods are Malacca, Pahang and Terengganu.

In another district of Muar in Johor, villagers have reported sightings of crocodiles that escaped from a farm after it was flooded.

Ishak Abu Bakar, the local village chief, said between 15 and 20 crocodiles were believed to have escaped.

In neighbouring Segamat, relief workers were struggling to bring food supplies to stranded families as many parts of the district are cut off by the floods, the New Straits Times reported.

Martin Param Ponniah, deputy commander of the Johor St. John's Ambulance, said the food situation was critical in several remote villages, adding that some flood relief centres had been without food or drinks for several days.

A flood victim in Johor seeking shelter at a relief centre broke down in tears when asked to explain her ordeal.

"What are we going to do now? We have lost everything. My children ... they need to go to school but they have lost all their books. The water rose so fast. I just managed to escape with my children," she said in an interview with private television station TV3 .