Sole landslide victim recalls escaping jaws of death in Serendah

A gymnasium staff was returning to his Taman Idaman home in Serendah early this morning when he fell off his motorcycle.

Perplexed, Muhammad Fareez Hanudin, 21, tried to pick himself up when he had a 'sinking' feeling.

That was no imagination as reality struck home - he was indeed, sinking in soft earth caused by a landslide, which was moving gradually in the quiet, dark morning about 1am.

To his horror, Muhammad Fareez found himself being crushed by the earth which buried him up to the chest. He was unable to breathe or move and the thought that the end was near, flashed before his eyes.

"It happened very fast. I saw several vehicles which were parked by the roadside, plunge into a large hole about the size of a football field, caused by the landslide.

"The soft earth moved and flowed into my face...I could only pray and hope that I would be rescued.

"Fortunately, I was rescued by residents and sought outpatient treatment at the Selayang Hospital for an injured right hand and right leg," he told reporters at a relief centre here, where 340 residents had sought temporary accommodation.

The fourth of eight siblings was inadvertently, the sole victim of the landslide which was caused by swift water currents underground.

Recalling the incident, Muhammad Fareez said he was riding a motorcycle on his way home from work when the incident occurred about 1am.

"I was discharged from the hospital this afternoon. I am so grateful and thankful to the residents who helped pulled me out of the earth.

"Had the rescue come late, I might have been buried alive in the landslide," he shuddered.

Another resident, Mohd Ramlan Mat Amin, 51, said since Taman Idaman was opened 24 years ago, only minor floods had occurred. Nevertheless, the homes of residents were not affected.

He said today's landslide affected several villages as the site of its occurrence was the main route to the area.

Earlier, Hulu Selangor police chief, Supt R. Supramaniam had declared the scene of the landslide scene as restricted 'Red Zone' area, and ordered 340 residents to temporarily evacuate to Sekolah Rendah Agama Serendah here. --Bernama