Batang Kali landslide: SAR efforts to focus on Hilltop campsite, says Selangor Bomba chief

HULU SELANGOR: Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts will be more focused on Sector A, which is the Hilltop campsite at Father's Organic Farm.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Norazam Khamis said it was based on the discovery of the two latest victims, believed to be a mother in her 30s and her toddler son, at 1.05pm on Saturday (Dec 17).

"The bodies were discovered 800m apart near a pond located on the front side of Hilltop. The bodies were three-feet deep when they were found.

"We believe soil movement has pushed the victims’ farther from the original locations but within Sector A.

"Thus, the search for the remaining 10 victims will focus on Sector A," he told reporters at the landslide site on Saturday.

So far, four excavators are being used in the SAR operations, Norazam said.

"We will request for more excavators so that digging efforts can be expedited.

"After two days, we believe we have covered 40% of the locations of where the victims might be," he said.

SAR operations at Sector B (Farmview) and Sector C (Riverside) were still ongoing as well, he said.

"A total of 135 rescue officers and personnel are involved in the SAR operations," he added.

Meanwhile, Hulu Selangor OCPD Supt Suffian Abdullah confirmed that 23 bodies had been recovered so far while authorities were still searching for 10 more.

"We urge family members or next of kin of the victims to come forward to identify victims," he said.