Hat Yai has been battered by torrential rain and flooding for several days. While many stranded victims are desperate for rescue, some allegedly felt that help “came too early.”
One Malaysian rescuer deployed boats to a hotel in Hat Yai affected by the flood, but some victims reportedly told the rescue team it was not yet time for them to “check out.”
“I am checked in until tomorrow,” one victim allegedly told the rescuers.
In a viral Facebook post, Alez Anders said he sought assistance from the local disaster relief team and successfully coordinated a rescue boat to rush to the hotel. However, when the team was “rejected” by the victims, they admitted they were baffled by the response.
The rescue team was stunned, saying this was the first time they had encountered someone refusing rescue because of a hotel check-out time.
Alez added that the stranded victims were unwilling to leave the hotel despite the severity of the disaster, which he found incomprehensible. Since the victims insisted on staying, he instructed the rescue team to turn back and prioritize others in need.
Meanwhile, Wisma Putra continues to monitor the flood situation in Hat Yai and Songkhla, where persistent rain has disrupted transportation, electricity, internet, and water supply. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday (22 November) that approximately 4,000 Malaysians in Hat Yai and nearby areas have been affected.
Also read: Cars Almost Submerged, Man Seen Carrying Infant Through Rising Water as Flash Floods Hit Perak
