Malaysian woman searches for missing husband amid Hat Yai floods
A Malaysian woman is searching for her husband, who went missing during the severe flooding in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province. She said she has been unable to contact him since Sunday, November 23.
The woman, Cherie Kim, gave an interview to Channel 8, sharing her husband’s photo with the media in hopes of finding clues to his whereabouts. The man’s name and age were not disclosed.
Kim said her husband travelled to Hat Yai alone. After losing contact with him, she decided to come to Thailand to search for him. She said her relatives, who were also travelling in Thailand, tried to locate him but had no success.
According to Kim, her husband told her there had been heavy rain on Saturday. She expected some flooding but did not imagine the situation would become this severe. She added that it was fortunate her relatives with a baby managed to return to Malaysia before conditions worsened.
Kim said Malaysian rescuers informed her that many Malaysian nationals were trapped in hotels across Hat Yai. However, rescue teams could not reach some locations due to safety concerns.
Channel 8 reported that a Malaysian rescue team from Penang was deployed to assist their citizens in Songkhla. One rescuer told the media that many Malaysians contacted them through Facebook asking for help, prompting the team to rush to the affected areas.
They were able to send some Malaysians home but still did not know how many remained trapped. The rescuer added that the flood situation in Songkhla was far worse than in Malaysia, where water levels were only knee-deep and the situation remained under control.
According to Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, November 26, around 4,200 Malaysian tourists have been affected by the flooding. The ministry said it is closely coordinating with Malaysian authorities to evacuate them to safe areas.
PPTV HD reported today, November 27, that Thai and Malaysian rescue teams rescued 1,210 Malaysians over the past two days. The mission continues despite heavy rain slowing operations.
Malaysia’s national news agency Bernama reported that rail operator Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) announced the cancellation of the My Sawasdee tourist train after sections of track between Padang Besar and Hat Yai became was left underwater.
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