JAKARTA (Bernama): A second Malaysian is said to have died in a landslide triggered by an earthquake in Lombok, Indonesia, which has already claimed the life of a Malaysian journalist.
In a Facebook post on Monday (March 18), the Malaysian Embassy in Indonesia confirmed the identity of the second Malaysian victim, a woman, as Lim Sai Wah.
It also said that seven Malaysians were injured and receiving treatment in hospital while 13 others were safe.
Indonesia's Antara news agency reported that rescuers found the body of the second victim wedged between rock debris from the landslide at the Tiu Kelep waterfall.
Antara quoted the public relations officer of the Mataram search and rescue operation, Gusti Lanang Wisnuwandana, as saying that the body of the second Malaysian could not be removed.
"The body of one more person has been found wedged between large rocks, in the vicinity of the Tiu Kelep waterfall. The identity has yet to be ascertained," he said.
A spokesman of the Malaysian Embassy here confirmed that a body had been found but said he did not have the details.
According to latest information, two Malaysians and an Indonesian were killed in the earthquake that also injured scores of people and destroyed almost 500 homes.
A 5.8-magnitude quake rocked Lombok Island at 2.07pm (3.07pm Malaysian time) Sunday and an aftershock with a 5.2 magnitude followed two minutes later.
A tour agent identifying himself as Pak Suminggah said a group of 28 Malaysian tourists had arrived in Lombok on March 14 and were scheduled to return on Monday night.
Twenty-two of the tourists had gone to the waterfall while the six others remained at their hotel in Mataram.
He also said that six of the 22 tourists were injured and were taken to a health centre for treatment.
Suminggah said he had been informed that the body of the second Malaysian could only be removed on Monday.
"We have not received any information on the identity of the person. We have had communication constraints and various other problems," he said.
The deceased journalist has been identified as Datin Tai Siew Kim, 56, deputy executive chief editor of Sin Chew Daily, who was on holiday there with several other Malaysians. – Bernama
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