Worries As Malaysian Landslide Claims 16 Lives, Others Still Missing

Scores of people are still missing as Malaysian authorities continued their search for casualties following a landslide on Friday (today).

Naija News understands that the Southeast Asian country was thrown into pandemonium earlier today after rescuers counted at least 16 people dead in the landslide which struck a campsite at a big farm.

Many people are still missing even as rescuers continued to scour the muddy terrain where the incident happened.

The director of the operations division at the fire and rescue department, Nor Hisham Mohammad, had told reporters that “as of 1 pm (0500 GMT), 16 victims have died. The search now is focused on the remaining 17.”

Briefing reporters on the incident, the local government development minister, Nga Kor Ming, said that 61 people so far have been found safe after the predawn landslide near the town of Batang Kali, just outside the capital of Kuala Lumpur and near a mountain casino resort.

Lamenting the situation, one Veronica Loi, who was reportedly camping at the site overnight and survived the landslide, told AFP that her family was sleeping when they heard a sudden, loud sound.

“We saw the tent beside us was totally gone,” she said.

Naija News understands that government officials, including the country’s police operatives and rescuers, have arrived at the scene on a rescue mission.

The government claimed the campsite is operating without a licence and that the operators would be punished if found guilty by the court. Videos and photos circulating online showed large fallen trees and crushed vehicles, as well as search and rescue personnel wearing headlamps and digging with shovels, and searching for survivors by a fallen structure.

Landslides are common in Malaysia after heavy rains, which are regular at the end of the year. However, there were no heavy rains recorded overnight in Batang Kali.

The government has imposed strict rules with regard to hillside development, but landslides have continued to occur after bouts of bad weather.