Sungai Pertak SAR: Dam Water Releases Suspended To Facilitate Search

HULU SELANGOR, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) is working with the management of the Sungai Selangor Dam to temporarily suspend water releases to keep river currents stable and facilitate the search for three people still missing in Sungai Pertak.

Its Operations Division director Datuk Abdul Razak Muda said the measure was necessary to prevent sudden changes in water currents from widening the search area and complicating efforts to locate the victims.

"To facilitate the search and keep the search area contained, we have communicated with the dam management to ensure that water releases remain suspended until all the victims are found," he told a media conference at the JBPM Forward Control Post at Jambatan Pertak here today.

He said the search area covered approximately 3.5 kilometres from the incident site to the dam, with the current flowing from Sector D towards Sectors C, B and A.

The area has been divided into four sectors, with Sectors A, B and D each covering one kilometre, while Sector C spans between 500 and 600 metres.

Meanwhile, five drones belonging to the police (PDRM) and JBPM have been deployed to assist in the search, particularly in areas that are difficult for rescue personnel to access.

JBPM Air Division assistant superintendent Muhammad Alif Abdul Ghani said drone operations began at 2 pm yesterday and continued today, with aerial surveillance scheduled from 8 am to 7 pm.

He said each drone could operate for approximately 45 minutes per flight session, allowing rescuers to inspect areas obscured from ground-level view and obtain a clearer picture of the terrain.

"Access by boats and rescue personnel is somewhat limited because some areas are inaccessible. The use of drones can therefore help speed up the search without requiring too much time," he said when met at the scene.

Muhammad Alif said the drone operations covered the four search sectors, stretching from the location where the victims were swept away by strong currents to Jambatan Pertak and the Sungai Selangor Dam.

Separately, Selangor JBPM Operations assistant director Ashrul Riezal Asbar said search efforts had yet to yield any results as of noon today.

Abdul Razak said the three missing victims were believed to still be within the area upstream of Jambatan Pertak, as they could have been caught in obstacles or debris traps along the river.

"Today's operation is also assisted by two K9 detection dogs, Frankie and Denti, who conduct searches lasting about 20 minutes per session," he said.

He said 124 personnel from various agencies, including JBPM, PDRM, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), the Health Ministry and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), were involved in today's operation.

The SAR operation was expected to continue until 6 pm, depending on weather conditions, while further action would be coordinated with the police if it needed to be extended.

In the incident at about 5.30 pm last Monday, eight people were swept away by strong currents, comprising one Malaysian and seven foreign nationals.

Five victims have been found drowned, including Malaysian V. Vijayan, 36, Nepalese national Kapali, 49, and Indian national B. Kunjanmalayil, 35. The identities of the other two victims, an Indian and a Sri Lankan, are still being confirmed.

The search continues for the remaining three victims, comprising two Indian nationals and a Yemeni, who were still missing as of 2.30 pm today.

-- BERNAMA