Batang Kali landslide: No new survivors yet, but search efforts intensified, says Selangor fire chief

Photo: Bernama

BATANG KALI: Authorities have not found any new survivors as of 11am on Saturday (Dec 17) but will be intensifying efforts to locate the 12 missing victims of the landslide incident here.

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Selangor Fire and Rescue Department chief Datuk Norazam Khamis said that the search and rescue operations would be focused around Sector B (Farmview camp) and Sector C (near the Riverside camp) as the last victim found on Friday night was between the two areas.

"Based on the last operation late Friday (Dec 16) night, we found our last victim near Sector B and C.

"So our search and rescue team will be focusing on those areas," he told a press conference on Saturday.

A total of 135 officers had been deployed at the site, together with the help of the K9 Unit.

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The SAR efforts were split into three zones - Sector A Hill View, Sector B Farm View, and Sector C Riverside.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had announced a RM10,000 aid for the next-of-kin of the deceased and RM1,000 for other victims.

Asked if there was any time frame for the SAR operation, he said a period of seven days will be given before a meeting with the relevant stakeholders would be conducted again to determine whether it should be resumed or not.

Norazam also revealed that among the challenges was that the land had become saturated with water and had become muddy.

The authorities had also used excavators to help the search and rescue efforts, he said.

Asked about the possibility of the missing victims being alive, he said that based on rough projections, the chances were very low.

"We are already on our second day and if they are trapped underneath, they might not have oxygen," he said, adding that some of the survivors were found trapped under five to 10 feet of earth.