Sabah quake: Number of victims revised to 18

Mount Kinabalu.

KUNDASANG: The number of casualties on Mount Kinabalu following Friday's earthquake has been revised to 18, of whom 16 are confirmed dead while two remain missing and presumed dead.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said a Malaysian, earlier listed as missing, was among the first batch climbers who arrived at the base of the mountain but his name was not recorded.

He identified the climber as Kuala Lumpur-based travel agent Mohd Khairuladzuan Abdul Khalid, 39.

Masidi told the media at the Kinabalu Park headquarters here that the deceased victims comprised six Malaysians, seven Singaporeans and one each from the Philippines, China and Japan.

He said Malaysian search and rescue personnel as well as Kinabalu Park guides found five more bodies on the mountain on Sunday.

He said the two missing climbers were a teacher and student from Singapore.

Masidi said the two were still listed them as missing although it was possible that their remains were among the body parts rescuers had recovered so far.

"We hope the identification process can be concluded over the next few days," he added.

He said the rescue operations on the mountain were being scaled down but would continue on Monday," Masidi said.

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