Malaysia deploys shipping containers in flood-hit Hat Yai to rescue stranded citizens
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Rescuers evacuate a tourist from a hotel through a flooded street in Hat Yai district.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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KUALA LUMPUR - When floodwaters cut off roads and made even boats too dangerous to use, Malaysian rescuers turned to an unusual method to bring stranded citizens to safety: shipping containers.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said many Malaysians trapped in Hat Yai floods
“We had to use containers because the roads were impassable. The floodwaters were too high for vehicles to pass through. So we used containers to move people safely to Bukit Kayu Hitam,” he told Parliament on Nov 27.
He added that containers carried groups of Malaysians through the flooded areas, allowing the authorities to bring them out of danger when all other options were unavailable.
“The containers became a lifeline in the worst-affected areas.
“This is not just about Malaysians. We are also helping people from Brunei, Singapore and other countries stranded in the floods,” he added.
Datuk Seri Mohamad urged Malaysians planning trips to Thailand during the monsoon season to postpone their travel, adding that heavy rain and the north-east monsoon are expected to continue until the end of December.
He said it is estimated that fewer than 500 Malaysians are stranded in southern Thailand.
He added that 177 Malaysians were rescued from Hat Yai on Nov 27.
They included Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) lecturers and students trapped at a hotel in Old Hatyai City, where strong currents had made it impossible for vehicles or boats to reach them earlier.
He said 27 students and two lecturers from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) who were stranded have also crossed the border and returned to Malaysia via the Pengkalan Hulu entry point.
Mr Mohamad said the Malaysian consulate in Songkhla reported that floodwaters in Old Hat Yai City had begun to recede by Nov 25, allowing rescue teams and local volunteers to reach areas that had been cut off.
He said that more than 700 Malaysians had already been evacuated from Hat Yai to Bukit Kayu Hitam in Malaysian state Kedah.
He added that 2,204 Malaysians had crossed the border at Bukit Kayu Hitam, Sungai Burung and Wang Kelian as of Nov 25.
“About 27,199 Malaysians had left Thailand between Nov 22 and 25 as the floods worsened.
“The floods in southern Thailand, especially Hat Yai, were quite severe. Hotels and tourist areas were submerged.”
He said the rescue operations coordinated by the Malaysian Embassy in Bangkok and the consulate rescued 517 Malaysians from 22 hotels, homestays and other places, with help from the Thai authorities, Malaysian Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, Malaysian NGOs and volunteers running multiple bus trips from Hat Yai.
“Our volunteers from Perlis, Kedah and northern Perak are also helping out on the ground,” he said during the Minister’s Question Time.
Mr Mohamad thanked the Thai government for its cooperation, adding that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been in constant contact with his Thai counterpart to check on Malaysians trapped in the floods. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
