As the needs in the city were massive, relief efforts were limited and didn’t reach everyone. In many parts of the city, food packages were distributed. The chairperson of our foundation heard from local people in one area that they hadn’t received help yet. Some local people said that they needed electrical appliances as these had been damaged in the flood. Therefore, we gave out rice cookers and electrical fans to families in 3 communities. They really appreciated the help.

One lady cooked lunch for the foundation volunteers and invited us to visit her on Idil Fitri in March after the fast month of Ramadan. She lives in an area where many one-storey houses were completely flooded. As the foundation received a bigger donation from abroad, we could help more. This lady went to 100 households and asked them what they needed most – a rice cooker, electrical fan, or gas stove. She asked people to come and pick them up on a specific day when the foundation workers were there.

While people were waiting in a queue to get the appliance they had chosen, foundation workers chatted with them. Several people shared that they had to sit on the roof of their house and wait for about 3 days until they got rescued. They didn’t have any food and just drank rainwater. One lady with her daughter stood for 3 days and nights in the flood water, which had reached the second floor, until it resided. This was very sad to hear. This flood was a traumatic experience for many people in Hatyai. 

Even though we couldn’t help much, compared to the big loss that people had experienced, they were grateful. One of the ladies who came, invited a foundation worker to visit her house. Since then, she has visited her a few times already. On Idil Fitri, a few of us will visit the house of the lady who invited us. This flood relief opened doors to connect us with new local people.