ALOR SETAR: Three Malaysians – Ang Xin Han, Yeoh Eng Chiat and Wong Hong Seong headed north to help rescue flood victims in Hatyai on Nov 23.

Never did they expect to be confronted with flood waters as high as 3.35 metres and they could only stay in their hotel, watching the water level rise helplessly.

“We hear, we see and yet unable to save – that is the most helpless pain for a rescuer,’’ said Ang, who also speaks Thai. 

This sense of powerlessness “tortured” Ang and his two teammates, Yeoh Eng Chiat and Wong Hong Seong for two days.

 They originally entered Hatyai, Thailand, for a rescue mission, but ended up becoming victims themselves.

After 48 hours, when the water level subsided to around 1.8 m, they decided to wade into the disaster area at all costs to rescue stranded victims one by one.

Ang, Yeoh and Wong spent a full week in Hatyai, experiencing the terrifying rise and fall of the floods.

They finally returned home last Sunday (Nov 30), like someone who had survived a disaster.

Ang, who works as a private tour guide, described the disaster as having “drowned” his vehicle — an Isuzu pickup nicknamed “Red Hare,” which was his livelihood.

“This pickup was my bread and butter. Now I’ve lost everything. I can’t even go to work —the pickup was submerged under water and declared a total loss. But most importantly, we survived,” he said.

The vehicle was fully equipped with rescue gear, including an AED, camera, and first-aid equipment.

 Ang often drove it for work but would use it for emergency response whenever needed.

Ang estimated the total loss as RM200,000. The pickup was towed back but required a full inspection to check if it could be driven again.

“At that moment, we abandoned the car to save our lives. We grabbed whatever we could in the dark. Everything else — including my entire wallet — was left inside the car. My IC, bank cards, passport,  everything is gone.”

His plan for a month-long self-drive trip around northern Thailand starting Dec 1 has been postponed indefinitely.

For Yeoh, this was his first disaster relief mission — and one that he will never forget.

They encountered a second wave of floods when they reached Hatyai.

Their original plan was to begin relief operations nearby, but the raging floodwaters quickly submerged their pickup, turning them from rescuers into flood victims.

Many routes leading into Hatyai were already closed, water levels continued to rise, and with their pickup towing two boats, preventing them from reversing.

“We kept moving forward even as water levels rose in front of us. But when it reached 2.1 m (seven feet),  we had no choice but to jump off the vehicle to save ourselves, ” said Yeoh.

They tried to save one boat and load supplies onto it for delivery to victims, but strong currents pushed them away.

“The floodwaters were fast-moving. We had to ride the current towards the railway tracks, then walked along the tracks in search of a hotel,” they said.

After walking for more than an hour, they found a hotel that had yet to be flooded.

They checked in, planning to resume rescue operations the next morning. But within a night, the water rose more than 10 feet, trapping them inside.

Looking down from the hotel, they saw homes submerged and victims stranded on rooftops.

One elderly man sat exposed to rain for two days, cold and hungry  and they could do nothing.

“We had no rescue gear, and the water was 3.65m (12 feet) deep. We couldn’t get out to save anyone — it was heartbreaking.”

Yeoh said both he and Ang speak Thai fluently, which helped in communication and coordination.

After staying in the hotel for two days, they went out to help when water levels dropped to 1.82 m (six feet).

They rescued residents from nearby homes and brought them to the hotel for shelter.

“Later, Thai rescue teams joined in. Because we spoke Thai, we helped coordinate between them and the victims.”

Every life they saved moved them deeply. The experience taught them the value of life.

Wearing life jackets and holding wooden sticks, they went into the disaster zone.

Yeoh said they did not know whether they were stepping on ground or going into holes, so they used wooden sticks to probe their way forward.

He helped carry children and elderly residents through the waters to the hotel.

“We weren’t injured, except for some cuts and bruises on our legs. Nothing serious,” he said.

They were thankful that everyone they rescued survived — there were no fatalities.

Ang thanked a chief coordinator for arranging supplies behind the scenes, enabling smooth operations and helping more victims.

He also thanked the volunteer fire brigade from Sungai Puyu, Penang, for lending two boats, the volunteer fire brigade from Kampung Baru Rangkaian Simpant Empat for various gears, WTL company for three lorries as well as local businesses and individuals who contributed.

“This was a collective effort — not something we could accomplish alone,” Ang said.

It was their personal decision to cross the border to help and they did not belong to any organisation.

When the trio returned home, they were welcomed like a hero.

“When I went for breakfast, everyone wanted to buy me food — to thank me,” said Ang.