Hat Yai Floods: M’sians Ration Food Amid Stranded Conditions

By Nurin Nadrah Amran & Wan Ainun Syafiqah Wan Zain

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- Several Malaysians have been stranded in Hat Yai for the past two days, following severe flooding, relying on hotel-provided meals and whatever food they managed to purchase before local shops were forced to close.

Muhammad Aliff Ikhwan Ahmad, 31, said that although the hotel provided meals, they had to ration and share the food sparingly just to stave off hunger.

“We had to ration our food…the hotel only provided two boxes of chicken wraps for one room, so we had to share,” he told Bernama when contacted.

The traveller from Alor Setar, Kedah, said they also experienced power outages, while dwindling phone battery levels made it difficult to contact family back home to provide updates on their situation.

“If it doesn’t rain this afternoon, we might be able to return to Bukit Kayu Hitam,” he said, adding that he had entered Thailand with his family on Nov 21.

Muhammad Ammar Jasni, 26, from Sungai Petani, said the water rose rapidly after continuous heavy rain, leaving him and several friends trapped in a hotel.

“We were trapped in the hotel until a local resident came to help, taking us to a safer area before we were moved to a temporary relief centre at a military camp,” he said, adding that the floodwaters are receding and they are now heading home.

Yesterday, Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry reported that around 4,000 Malaysians in Hat Yai and nearby areas were stranded due to the floods, but all are safe, with most taking shelter in hotels.

-- BERNAMA