WHAT began as a routine holiday in Krabi became a traumatic escape from rising floodwaters for Norliatika Elias, 29, and fifteen of her friends after southern Thailand was inundated by severe floods over the weekend.
“I was very scared, but when we found out we could take a lorry to return home, I immediately felt grateful,” she said, recounting the ordeal she later shared on TikTok.
The group departed for Krabi on 19 November, arriving the following day via the Padang Besar border under light drizzles with no indication of the devastation to come. Matters deteriorated rapidly as Hatyai was hit by extensive flooding, forcing the closure of major roads, cutting off several areas and triggering incidents such as an electrical transformer catching fire.
They were scheduled to continue their holiday in Hatyai on 22 November but opted to remain an extra day in Krabi after learning conditions were worsening further south.
Their attempt to return to Malaysia at 8.30 a.m. the next morning turned into a protracted journey as the usual five-hour drive stretched to seven due to submerged routes. A subsequent effort to exit via the Wang Kelian border also failed when water levels rose again, compelling them to backtrack through village roads towards Hatyai.
However, the back routes were soon completely closed as waters surged, leaving them stranded while other Malaysian groups had earlier managed to escape through safer paths.
“The Thai driver tried to find another route but none were passable. At that point we were completely at a loss,” Norliatika said.
The group, initially travelling in a van, found themselves repeatedly transferring vehicles—hauling heavy luggage on and off vans, buses and eventually an open-back lorry—amid torrential rain and strong water currents.
“On the van I was shivering so badly that it felt traumatic. After getting off the lorry, we then boarded a bus together with other Malaysians to reach the border before switching back to a van,” she said.
Before that, they waited nearly two hours at a safe point near a 7-Eleven, where more stranded Malaysians had gathered, until a lorry arranged by their driver's acquaintance arrived.
They finally reached the Thai border around 10.30 p.m. local time and crossed into Malaysia around midnight, completing their journey home to Manjung, Perak at about 4 a.m.
“This was my first time wading through a flood, and it happened in a foreign country. Although I was frightened, I am very grateful that all of us are safe,” she said.
While the group’s experience underscores the dangers of sudden flooding, Malaysia’s Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) emphasises that the severity of monsoon floods cannot be explained by rainfall alone.
MetMalaysia Deputy Director-General (Operations) Ambun Dindang said that land-use changes, population density and local drainage systems play a significant role in determining flood impacts.
“Even if the same amount of rain falls as before, an area may or may not flood depending on what has changed on the ground, including development, population density and alterations to drainage,” he said on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme, themed “Understanding the Monsoon, A Nation on Alert”.
He added that climate change and global warming are placing additional strain on weather systems, driving more frequent and intense extreme weather events.
“Extreme weather will become more frequent and more intense, because every one-degree increase in global warming allows the atmosphere to hold seven per cent more moisture, which leads to heavier rainfall,” he said, citing the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).
Ambun warned that rising sea temperatures contribute to coral bleaching, while melting polar ice and glaciers raise sea levels, compounding risks for coastal nations like Malaysia.
“We are also seeing stronger and more frequent typhoons affecting the Philippines and Vietnam recently. That too is a consequence of global warming and climate change. In one week there were two typhoons, and currently another is forming off the Philippines and moving towards Vietnam,” he noted.
MetMalaysia, he said, will continue upgrading its early warning system across data collection, data processing and information dissemination to ensure national preparedness and early action before severe rainfall strikes.
He explained that the most reliable early warnings emerge around three days before an event, though models are updated continuously as atmospheric conditions evolve.
“Three days before an incident is the most dependable period for warnings, but models can change daily. As far as possible, we issue early information so other agencies have sufficient time to prepare,” he said.
Ambun urged the public—especially those in flood-prone areas—to stay alert to current weather warnings, comply with official directives and refrain from spreading false information.
“I hope communities in at-risk areas remain attentive to weather alerts, follow the instructions of the authorities and avoid circulating misinformation, because early action can save lives,” he said, encouraging the public to rely on MetMalaysia’s official website, social media and the MyCuaca app for verified updates.
In October, MetMalaysia projected between five and seven episodes of continuous heavy rainfall throughout the 2025/2026 Northeast Monsoon, expected to last from early November until March 2026. - November 26, 2025
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