A group of around 100 volunteers has embarked on a mission to bring home dozens of Malaysians stranded in Hat Yai, as the flood situation in the southern Thai border town worsens and more flood relief centres are activated across seven states in Peninsular Malaysia.
Langkawi-based travel agent Jenny Ong said the volunteer team began entering southern Thailand on Sunday evening.
“Some of them travelled by lorry, while others brought boats. We are connecting them with local volunteers in Hat Yai to help extricate Malaysians stranded there.
“These individuals include volunteers and tour guides from Malaysia who were moved by the victims’ pleas for help to return home,” she told Twentytwo13.
Hat Yai was hit by a second wave of flooding on Sunday after continuous heavy rain inundated the popular tourist destination, which borders Bukit Kayu Hitam in northern Kedah.
Among the Malaysians stranded in Hat Yai is a group of 40 senior citizens from Johor who are running out of medical supplies for hypertension, heart disease and other critical conditions.
The group, from the Pontian Senior Citizens Club, has been unable to leave after floodwaters surrounded the Paradise Hotel.
“Some of us have run out of medication for heart ailments and hypertension. We are extremely worried because we are not receiving any help from the authorities here,” said group spokesperson Saryati Suwarno, 54, in a message relayed by Cuti-Cuti Langkawi Sdn Bhd general manager Baharin Baharom, who is also stranded at the same hotel.
She said communication with the outside world had been severely disrupted due to telecommunications and power outages.
Baharin, who is travelling with 10 staff members on a work trip, said they were growing increasingly anxious as assistance had yet to arrive while floodwaters continued to rise.
“The rescue operation is slow. Unlike in Malaysia, where rescue agencies respond swiftly during disasters, we haven’t seen any rescue boats from the local authorities,” he said via WhatsApp.
He said the rain had not stopped since Sunday evening, with several vehicles parked around the hotel now fully submerged.
“The electricity supply has been down since Sunday evening, and the hotel generator has stopped working. The water supply for showers has also run out.
“We are thankful to the hotel management for providing free meals to guests twice a day, but it is crucial that a rescue operation is expedited to bring the elderly Malaysians home,” he said.
Baharin added that communication had been extremely slow, with each message taking up to two hours to go through due to power failures affecting nearby telecommunication towers.
He has sought assistance from Malaysia’s diplomatic mission in southern Thailand.
Songkhla province has declared Hat Yai, Rattaphum and several other districts as red zones, with local authorities ordering urgent evacuations following continued heavy rainfall.
Hat Yai has the highest number of affected residents – over 243,000 people – with widespread flooding in urban zones and the Khlong U-Taphao river nearing overflow level, reported Thailand’s The Nation.
On Sunday, the Malaysian Consulate-General’s Office in Songkhla issued a travel advisory urging Malaysians to postpone travel to southern Thailand due to the severe weather.
“Malaysians currently in southern Thailand are advised to stay alert to weather conditions, announcements, news and advice from local authorities from time to time, and to prioritise their safety,” the statement read.
On the same day, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (METMalaysia) issued a continuous heavy rain warning, in effect until Nov 25.
The department also issued danger, severe and alert-level continuous rain warnings until Tuesday, alongside strong wind and rough sea warnings for Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Pahang and Selangor.
As of 4pm, according to the Welfare Department’s InfoBencana JKM portal, more than 13,000 people from 4,672 families across seven states have been evacuated to temporary flood relief centres.
Kelantan is the worst affected, with 9,636 evacuees from 3,516 families across four districts. This is followed by Perak (1,670 people), Perlis (521), Kedah (643), Penang (396), Selangor (333) and Terengganu (189).
Several areas in the Klang Valley, including Shah Alam, Klang and Puncak Alam, were also hit by flash floods. Residents at two apartment blocks in Taman United, in Jalan Kelang Lama, Kuala Lumpur, were ordered to evacuate their homes following heavy rain and soil movement from a landslide on a nearby slope this morning.
The Higher Education Ministry said flood-affected institutions of higher learning will be given flexibility to conduct online teaching and learning to ensure studies continue uninterrupted.
