Malaysia landslide: Search continues at campsite for missing 12
17 December, 2022
The search for the remaining 12 campers caught in a deadly landslide at an unlicensed campsite in Malaysia continued for a second day on Saturday (Dec 17) after an overnight halt due to bad weather, officials said.
At least 21 people, including five children, were killed after a landslide in Batang Kali, a popular hilly area about 50km (30 miles) north of Kuala Lumpur, tore down while people slept in their tents.
There were 94 people caught in the landslide but 61 were safe, with 12 still missing, according to the Malaysia National Disaster Management Agency.
Three Singaporeans were among those rescued, said a spokesperson for Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Friday evening. It added that the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur is in touch with all three of them. Search and rescue operations were suspended overnight due to heavy rains and resumed around 8.30am on Saturday with the assistance of excavators and seven canines, said Selangor state fire and rescue department chief Norazam Khamis.
He said the search and rescue operation would focus on two of three search sectors.
“We are focusing on the two sites because we believe the victims are trapped (there) ... this is based on the fact that the last victim was found at a spot between these two locations.
“The (search and rescue) operation today will involve the use of heavy machinery or excavators to remove soil and large trees which had fallen with the flow of soil,” he told reporters at the disaster site.
However, he said the use of the excavators would depend on the weather and soil conditions during the operation.
"We have to be careful because there is strong water flow from the top and in the soil, this complicates search operations because the ground is soft," he said.
Norazam told reporters the chances of the 12 missing people being able to survive the lack of oxygen and weight of the soil are slim.
An initial investigation showed an embankment of about 450,000 cubic metres of earth had collapsed. The earth fell from an estimated height of 30m and covered an area of about 0.4 hectares.
The Forestry Department in several states ordered the closure of campsites considered as high risk, as well as hiking and off-road driving trails following the disaster.
Landslides are common in Malaysia, but typically only after heavy rains. Flooding occurs often, with about 21,000 people displaced last year by torrential rain in seven states.
On Friday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told reporters that the government would provide RM10,000 (US$2,260) in aid to families of every person killed in the tragedy, while survivors would receive RM1,000 per household.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com