Hat Yai Faces Massive Cleanup as Authorities Race to Restore Water, Address Fatalities
SONGKHLA, Nov 28 (TNA) - As floodwaters largely recede across Hat Yai, authorities are shifting focus to immediate recovery challenges, including the critical lack of utilities and the management of deceased victims.
Though most of the water has drained, residents face a major hurdle: the lack of running tap water, which is essential for cleaning homes and businesses.
In addition to restoring water, electricity, and communication systems are needed. Clean-up efforts are hampered by large numbers of damaged vehicles still obstructing roads.
Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit, Chairman of the Rural Doctors Society, highlighted the urgent need to fully recover bodies from all affected areas within the next two days, emphasizing the issue’s deep psychological impact.
"Beyond the immediate health risks from decaying bodies, such as stench and disease, the psychological toll on victims, relatives, and the community is huge," Dr. Supat said.
"It is a major psychological issue—the loss, the sadness. How do we reduce this despair? Therefore, the swift and respectful management of the deceased is extremely meaningful."
Dr. Supat also proposed that the government establish a centralized database for missing persons to allow relatives to report those unaccounted for.
Meanwhile, medical teams are actively moving through affected neighborhoods to provide treatment for injured residents and transfer critical cases to hospitals.
