Sar For Victims In Cameron Higland Landslide Continues

CAMERON HIGHLANDS, Jan 27  (Bernama) --The search and rescue (SAR) operation for three more victims of the landslide in Kampung Raja, Blue Valley, here, resumed at 8.30 am today.

Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) deputy director in Pahang,  Md Gezani Md Ghazi said today's SAR operation involved 158 personnel from Pahang, Perak and Selangor.

"The SAR operation is also joined by various agencies such as the Malaysian Civil Defence Force, the police, the Malaysian Minerals and Geosciences Department (JMG) and the Public Works Department," he said when met by Bernama at the Fire Control Post at the site of the disaster today.

He said two tracker dogs (K9) belonging to JBPM were also mobilized to assist in the operation which focused on the central sector of the landslide near the location where two bodies of the victims were found yesterday.

He said that based on monitoring by JMG, no new soil movement was detected, but the operation had to be stopped in the event of heavy rain.

A survey by Bernama in the area found the SAR team carrying a variety of digging equipment and stretchers. It was drizzling rain.

They have to walk 3 kilometres to get to the location of the landslide as the location is inaccessible by vehicle due to the hilly area.

Two bodies were retrieved from the landslide area yesterday.

In the incident around 2.40 am yesterday,  five Myanmar nationals, including a woman, were feared buried after two houses occupied by the victims were buried in the landslide.

Meanwhile, Md Gezani said the SAR team is working to build a new route to enable them to bring in the machinery to the location of the landslide to facilitate operation.

“We are likely to enter the farm area with the vehicle with the permission of the police. We will try other ways if necessary," he said.

The SAR team is having difficulties finding the victims as the search has to be done manually using hoes and shovels because heavy machinery could not enter the area.

--  BERNAMA