Three bodies pulled out, 11 workers still buried in rubble

GEORGE TOWN: Three bodies were pulled out from the rubble in what has been described as the worst landslide in Penang.

At press time, 11 workers, including a 27-year-old local construction site supervisor, were still buried under 10m of debris.

The workers were carrying out construction work at the basement area when tragedy struck at about 8.30am.

The bodies of two Bangladeshis and a Myanmar national were recovered by firemen at 9.55am, 10.43am and 1.10pm respectively.

Penang police chief Comm Datuk Wira Chuah Ghee Lye said the Bangladesh and Myanmar embassies had been notified and they would inform the victims’ families.

He added that the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) were also assisting in the search and rescue operation.

Penang Fire and Rescue Dep­artment director Saadon Mokhtar said a canine unit was also brought to help locate the missing workers.

“We have also cordoned off certain slopes which are unsafe at the site. We fear the soil may be unstable,” he said.

Also involved in the search were personnel from the police, Penang Hospital, Civil Defence Force and state Public Works Department, he said.

The search was called off at 7.45pm and will resume at 8am today.

Bangladeshi national Mohd Bulu­mulah Mohd Atelmullah, 47, who was seen crying at the site, said his 35-year-old nephew was one of the victims.

“He is my elder brother’s son. What am I going to do and how will I break the news to his family? My nephew has two daughters, aged six and eight, back in Bangladesh,” he said.

Worker Bachu Ahmad Bachu­mullah, 30, said he had just stepped out of the site to get some material when the landslide suddenly happened behind him.

“If I had waited a few seconds longer, I would have been buried too,” he said.

Another Bangladeshi, Mohd Awal Jafra Alma, 21, said a friend told him that his younger brother Abdul Rahman, 18, was buried in the landslide.

Teacher Teh Guan Cheong, in his 50s, who lives about 300m away, said he heard three loud sirens and rushed to the scene.

“I was at home when I heard the commotion and knew that something serious had happened.

“It is very sad as these foreign workers came here to earn a living for their families.

“This area is prone to landslides. Last year, it was the Vale of Tempe road which collapsed and had to be closed for quite some time,” he said.

The project developer explained that the incident occurred while they were attempting to further stabilise the temporary slope to facilitate construction.

“We have already set up our own investigations team to work along with the authorities on the incident,” the company said in a press statement.