KUALA LUMPUR – When floodwaters cut off roads and made even boats too dangerous to use, Malaysian rescuers turned to an unusual method to bring stranded citizens to safety: shipping containers.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said many
Malaysians trapped in Hat Yai floods were evacuated in such containers because ordinary vehicles and buses could not pass through the flooded roads.
“We had to use containers because the roads were impassable. The floodwaters were too high for vehicles to pass through. So we used containers to move people safely to Bukit Kayu Hitam,” he told Parliament on Nov 27.
He added that containers carried groups of Malaysians through the flooded areas, allowing the authorities to bring them out of danger when all other options were unavailable.
“The containers became a lifeline in the worst-affected areas.
“This is not just about Malaysians. We are also helping people from Brunei, Singapore and other countries stranded in the floods,” he added.
Datuk Seri Mohamad urged Malaysians planning trips to Thailand during the monsoon season to postpone their travel, adding that heavy rain and the north-east monsoon are expected to continue until the end of December.
Reference : Malaysia deploys shipping containers in flood-hit Hat Yai to rescue stranded citizens | The Straits Times