4-year-old girl dies in Hat Yai after slipping from mum's arms during flood rescue

A four-year-old girl died after the boat she was on during a flood rescue operation capsized in southern Thailand last week. 

In a Facebook post last Tuesday (Nov 27), a family member made a plea for help after the child was reported missing, noting that the water current had been very strong that day. 

"She is 4 years old, has a foreign-looking face with curly hair, and was wearing a blue floral swimsuit. Her name is Amidala Arayawat, nickname Padme," said the family member, adding that the girl had fallen into the water near a hospital at around 7pm. 

According to the family's social media posts, Amidala, her brother and mother had been trapped inside their home on Banja Road in Songkhla province as floodwaters rose rapidly, nearly reaching the second floor, reported Thaiger. 

The girl's mother initially sought evacuation help online, explaining that she planned to swim to a neighbour's house on higher ground if rescuers could not reach them. 

A rescue team eventually arrived and evacuated the family. However, as the boat moved through the strong current, it overturned, causing Amidala to slip from her mother's arms and disappear into the water. 

Two days after the incident, the family confirmed in a subsequent post that Amidala's body had been found. 

In the comments section, many netizens expressed their shock and offered condolences. One wrote, "I never expected this," while another commented, "Please take good care of your mental and physical health, including everyone in the family." 

As of Dec 1, the death toll in Thailand had risen to 176 from flooding in eight southern provinces, affecting about three million people.  

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xingying.koh@asiaone.com