RESCUE efforts by Malaysian volunteer teams in Hatyai have been hampered as some stranded citizens insist on waiting for family members or refuse to leave their belongings, limiting the number of people who can be evacuated at any one time.
Sungai Petani Volunteer Fire Brigade chairman Leong Beng Tat explained that these delays have directly affected the primary goal of returning as many Malaysians as possible safely to their homeland.
“Some of them refused to move when we arrived because they were waiting for family or did not want to leave their baggage. Given the limited space on the boats and the principle that saving lives comes first, we cannot carry large amounts of baggage,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
As of midday Wednesday, approximately 1,006 Malaysians had been rescued from the city with the assistance of volunteer teams, using eight rescue boats and several lorries laden with emergency supplies.
Leong said the receding floodwaters in Hatyai have allowed volunteers to access affected areas more efficiently, and teams are working tirelessly to ensure all stranded nationals are returned safely.
He also urged the public to avoid making non-urgent calls to the volunteer teams, as such communications disrupt operations.
“Four of our operational mobile phones were damaged after being submerged, yet the team continues to work relentlessly despite these challenges,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts warn that the severe flooding in Hatyai’s economic zone, a major tourist hub, could persist until mid-December.
Associate Professor Seree Supratid, director of the Climate Change and Disaster Centre at Rangsit University, said that although water levels in the Sadao upstream area are falling, downstream flows are expected to exacerbate flooding in the city.
Prof Seree estimated that recent rainfall reached around 850 millimetres, generating surface flows of between 1,200 and 1,500 million cubic metres.
He projected that water levels may take approximately ten days to recede, but the timeline could extend due to continued high sea levels through the end of the month.
He urged immediate interventions, such as cutting road embankments, to accelerate water drainage and reduce further losses. - November 26, 2025
