HAT YAI FLOODS: STRANDED MALAYSIANS ADVISED TO PREPARE FOR TEMPORARY EVACUATION OPERATION

By Tuwaedaniya Meringing

SONGKHLA, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- All Malaysians stranded at hotels in Hat Yai due to flooding have been advised to wait at their respective hotel lobbies to facilitate temporary evacuation to safer areas by the local authorities, according to the Consulate General of Malaysia in Songkhla.

In a statement, the Consulate Office said coordination efforts between the Malaysian Consulate General in Songkhla and the local authorities in Hat Yai have begun and will be carried out soon.

The Consulate Office also requested the cooperation of all affected Malaysians to ensure the evacuation process runs smoothly.

For further inquiries, the public may contact the duty officer at the Malaysian Consulate General in Songkhla at +6681-9901930.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Consul General in Songkhla, Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi, told Bernama that they are doing their utmost, in cooperation with local authorities, to move Malaysians from flooded areas to safer locations.

“Rain is still falling in Hat Yai, but the floodwaters have receded from chest level yesterday to knee level today… food assistance and evacuation efforts are being carried out with the help of the local authorities,” he said.

Ahmad Fahmi said a special team has been set up at the Consulate Office to gather information on all Malaysian victims and their accommodation locations.

Earlier, Ahmad Fahmi, together with the President of the Hatyai-Songkhla Hotels Association, Dr Sitthipong Sitthiprapha, visited a plant-based meal preparation centre where food is being prepared for distribution to all flood victims in Hat Yai.

Sitthipong said a total of 2,000 hot plant-based meals had been delivered by truck to victims stranded at several hotels in Hat Yai.

“Although the water has begun to recede, rain continues to fall. It’s not heavy, but it still poses challenges in moving all victims out of Hat Yai city by truck,” he explained.

Yesterday, according to a statement from Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry, around 4,000 Malaysians in Hat Yai and nearby areas were affected by the floods, but all were reported safe.

-- BERNAMA