Batang Kali landslide: Utmost care taken in using heavy machinery at site

BATANG KALI: The search and rescue (SAR) operation team has taken utmost care in using heavy machinery at the landslide location at the Father's Organic Farm campsite in Gohtong Jaya, here to prevent damaging bodies still under the earth.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Norazam Khamis said at the initial stage, the team would dig or remove the soil three or four feet deep to facilitate the detection of the victims' bodies.

"After that, the team will stop digging and conduct checks, either through the K9 tracker dog unit or manually, to see if there is any sign of human remains.

"If there is no sign, we will continue the digging process slowly to prevent the (excavator) bucket from damaging any bodies," he told a press conference here today.

Norazam said the process was also monitored by a member of the rescue team who would give guidance and instructions on how to excavate.

"We don't want them (excavation team) to dig the soil as they do for land clearing works. It should be done slowly and lightly," he said.

As of this morning, eight excavators were deployed to ground zero, and the number will be increased if the need arises.

Norazam further said that the rescue team also received the Ground Penetrating Radars from the Department of Survey and Mapping and the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) to assist in efforts to locate the remaining victims.

"The two teams using these devices have been deployed to sector A (Hillview) and sector C (Riverside) to detect the locations of the victims and measure the thickness of the soil," he said.

The landslide tragedy at the campsite, which occurred on Friday, has so far claimed 24 lives.

-- BERNAMA