Six people have died and 60,000 homes have been evacuated in southern Malaysia in the worst flooding in living memory.

Railway staff inspect tracks damaged by floods in Segamat, in the southern state of Johor, Malaysia, on Friday. There are still warnings of storms and tidal surges in other parts of the country, but water appeared to be receding in parts of Johor.
(Andy Wong/ Associated Press)

But unofficial reports suggest the number of dead may be much higher, the CBC's Jonathan Kent reported Friday.

Days of heavy rains have burst river banks, isolated many communities and made helicopters and boats the only way of delivering relief supplies.

Malaysian military forces are using 80 boats for relief operations, while 11 helicopters are also helping, deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak said on Friday, according to the Bernama news agency.

Malaysia does not need external aid, Najib said."We will handle it ourselves."

The government's Meteorological Department issued a warning that there will be heavy monsoon rains until Sunday. But Najib added, "the situation has stabilized."

Most homes evacuated in Johor

Malaysia's southernmost state, Johor, has been the hardest hit, with 50,000 of the 60,000 homes in total that have been evacuated, the government's website said. People are being housed in 300 flood-relief centres, and Malaysian aid agencies are working with the displaced.

The electricity company turned off power distribution
stations in Johor for safety reasons.

(CBC)

And the national railway company has suspended service to the south.

All six of the dead were in Johor. The government website describes how a truck driver saw two people in a car being swept away.

The bodies were later recovered but "we could not launch a rescue operation earlier as the current was too swift," Fire and Rescue Department operations commander Hazmi Ali said.

Looting condemned

Najib said that reports of looting in Segamat, one of the hardest hit areas in Johor, left him upset.

"It's bad enough that one has to fall victim to floods," but having possessions stolen as well "is inexcusable," he said.

He promised police would come down hard on the perpetrators.