Landslide: 21 fatalities so far - DPM

BATANG KALI: A total of 21 victims have died in the landslide in Batang Kali as of 7.10 pm on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

He said 12 more are still missing and search and rescue (SAR) efforts by rescue agencies are ongoing.

He said the police and Fire and Rescue Department, as well as all enforcement agencies, have been fully mobilised for the SAR operation.

“As the Federal Disaster Management Committee chairman, I, along with all agency heads here will monitor the situation from time to time and will update the media and the public on developments,” he said.

He said this after a visit to the scene and a briefing on the incident. Also present were Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi and Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

Ahmad Zahid said according to preliminary findings and investigations by the Public Works Department and Lands and Mines Department, there were two underground streams at the location of the incident.

“Let us pray there are more survivors,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will officially announce government assistance to the families of all those who died in the incident, rescued or yet to be found.

In the incident at 2.42 am today, a swathe of landmass measuring 300 metres long and 70 metres high crashed into the Father's Organic Farm camping site.

The SAR operations are being jointly carried out by the police’s K9 unit and the Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) from the Bukit Sentosa, Ampang, Pandan, Kota Anggerik, Kajang and Andalas Fire and Rescue Stations (BBP) as well as the Special Tactical Rescue Operations Team (STORM).

-- BERNAMA