ALOR SETAR: What was supposed to be a weekend getaway to Hat Yai in Thailand turned into a tense and chaotic ordeal for a family of 12 when floods struck the tourism hub.
Their holiday quickly turned into a nightmare after a major power outage hit the town and they were caught in rising floodwaters.
Marketing executive Wong Zheng Hua, 40, from Alor Setar, Kedah, described how roads turned into gushing rivers.
“Our van had to push through strong currents, as some sections of the road were still above knee-deep,” he said yesterday.
“At one point, water was seeping into the cabin, but the driver knew there was no turning back.
“He realised he had to get us out of Hat Yai, and the van fought its way through until we made it safely.”
Wong said the group had left their cars at Bukit Kayu Hitam and entered Hat Yai in a chartered van on Friday.
“Upon arrival, we checked into a hotel. We went out and the rain started pouring. So we took shelter in a mall.
“By the next day, the floodwaters rose quickly and public transport came to a standstill.
“Tuk-tuks and taxis refused to take us to the hotel, so we waded through knee-deep water for about 30 minutes.
“The situation worsened when the hotel’s electricity was cut for half a day,” he said.
He said they were supposed to leave Hat Yai on Sunday afternoon but had to cut their holiday short, ending with a risky escape through strong currents to leave the town.
A social media update from the Hatyai Go3 travel page stated that many flood victims had fled the town as water levels in several areas rose above knee-level.
Mobile kitchens and volunteers have been deployed since Saturday to provide food and help deliver supplies to those who were trapped.
On Saturday, the Malaysian Foreign Ministry said about 4,000 Malaysians in Hat Yai and nearby areas were affected by the floods.
