Gardener heard thunderous sound before hillside wall collapsed

GEORGE TOWN (Bernama): A gardener claimed he heard a thunderous sound before he saw a retaining wall on a hillside near a resort in Tanjung Bungah here collapse last night.

North East district police chief ACP Che Zaimani Che Awang said the gardener, Zulkefli Tinggal, 61, told police that the wall was being constructed by a Myanmar worker known only as Ong, and three of his compatriots.

"The witness was the first to be aware of the incident and was close to the scene, before informing the owner of the resort as to what had taken place," said Che Zaimani in a statement via WhatsApp.

According to the witness, Ong had been working at the resort for almost three years as a maintenance worker.

"The witness also said the four Myanmar nationals had been constructing the wall since last week," said Che Zaimani.

Che Zaimani said the owner of the resort revealed that the four Myanmar had offered themselves to build the retaining wall but he only knew Ong.

"The owner, when interviewed, said he did not know the other three because they were brought in by Ong," said Che Zaimani, and Ong was given 20 days to complete the work.

Following the landslide, which was reported to have taken place at 9.25pm on Tuesday, the bodies of three workers were found with the search for the fourth still on as of 2.45am.

Meanwhile, a body arrived at the Penang Hospital Forensic Medical Department at 2.35am today for a post-mortem after it was extricated from the site of the incident.