Elderly woman drowns in Hat Yai floods, daughter keeps body in fridge while awaiting rescue

Daughter places mother’s body in refrigerator while awaiting rescue from Hat Yai floods

In a heartbreaking incident in Hat Yai, Thailand, an elderly woman drowned after being trapped inside her home by rising floodwaters.

Her daughter, unable to get help for several days, placed her mother’s body in a refrigerator to preserve it while waiting for rescue, as reported by Thai media outlet Sanook.

On 21 Nov, floodwaters reached up to 1.8 metres, flooding homes and trapping residents inside.

The elderly woman, unable to swim, was helpless as the waters rapidly rose, and her daughter was left stranded with her deceased mother.

Unable to wait any longer for assistance, the daughter placed her mother’s body in the refrigerator, which was left to float in the floodwaters, temporarily preserving it while they awaited rescue.

Rescue team arrives too late

The local volunteer rescue team arrived on 24 Nov, three days after the incident.

Upon reaching the house, they found the body in the refrigerator, and the daughter, who had been trapped inside with her mother, was in poor health.

A viral video shared by the officer shows the team navigating through the flooded house, where the daughter is floating among household items.

She informs the officers that her mother had drowned and that she had placed her body in the floating fridge.

In another clip, two of the rescue officers are seen struggling to carry the daughter through the door but eventually succeeded in rescuing her and taking her to safety in the rescue boat.

Netizens show support for authorities

While the authorities expressed their sorrow over the tragedy and their late arrival, many netizens rushed to offer support.

Messages poured in on social media, with one friend saying: “You did the best, mate!”

Others reassured the team, saying: “You did all you could. No need to regret it.”

A further comment encouraged the officers: “Keep fighting! Take care of yourselves, guys!”

Also read: Hospital staff in Hat Yai continue to care for newborns despite flood & blackout