SAR mission for man feared drowned in Hulu Langat continues

The search-and-rescue (SAR) operation for Taufik Alias, 24, who is feared drowned after being swept away by flood waters towards a river near the National Youth Skills Training Institute (IKBN) in Dusun Tua, Hulu Langat yesterday, resumed today.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department’s operations assistant director, Mohd Sani Harul said a total of 64 personnel from the department, Royal Malaysian Police, Civil Defence Force and several other agencies had been deployed to search for the victim.

“We began the operation last night, focusing on the area where the victim was swept away, namely the Dusun Tua IKBN up to Dengkil,” he said when contacted, here, today.

Yesterday, a 44-second video recording which went viral on social media showed the victim waving for help while being swept by the currents towards Sungai Serai. Several onlookers were seen shouting and telling the victim to swim to safety.

The victim is believed to have been caught up in the flood waters and swept to the river while riding his motorcycle. The heavy downpour in the area yesterday had caused the water level in the river to rise rapidly.

Meanwhile, Mohd Sani said the flood waters at several areas such as at the 12th and 14th mile were now receding but several other locations, namely at the 9th and 10th mile, were still inundated.

A total of 440 people had been evacuated to four relief centres in Hulu Langat as of noon today, he said.

-- BERNAMA