HAT YAI — Flash floods triggered by days of heavy rain swept through downtown Hat Yai, Songkhla province on Saturday, inundating major commercial areas and stranding thousands of visitors, including Malaysian tourists and attendees of a nationwide business conference.
Water in the city’s main economic district reached 40 to 60 centimeters (16 to 24 inches) on Saturday morning, according to the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotel Association. The group estimated that 9,000 to 10,000 people have been unable to leave their hotels, among them tourists from Malaysia and delegates taking part in the 43rd National Chamber of Commerce Meeting.
Sittipong Sitthiakkaraprapa, the association’s president, said the renewed flooding has again hurt Hat Yai’s reputation as shortages of food and supplies emerged. Tourists have requested roughly 9,000 boxed meals, he said, adding that while the city has opened a field kitchen, additional support from government agencies is urgently needed. Some requests for help have gone unanswered, he said.
Songpol Jangsiriwattanathamrong, president of the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce, said the flooding struck just as the province was hosting the three-day national gathering, which began Thursday and brought more than 2,300 participants, including governors and senior business leaders.
Hat Yai authorities issued a red-flag warning for several neighborhoods, particularly the inner commercial zone, and said rescue teams were working to evacuate residents from high-risk areas. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported rising levels in the R.1 and U-Tapao canals, which threaten to overflow into nearby communities.
Officials urged residents to move belongings to higher floors, relocate vehicles, safeguard important documents, and watch for electrical hazards. They also called for special attention to the elderly and others needing assistance.
Floodwaters surged across Petchkasem Road in front of the Hat Yai Provincial Police Station on Saturday morning, prompting residents to move cars onto a nearby bridge. Water levels at the entrance of Hat Yai Hospital also continued to rise. Major roads in the city center — including Niphat Uthit 1, 2 and 3 — were fully submerged and impassable to small vehicles.
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