Death toll reaches 24 as search continues for nine still missing

HULU SELANGOR: Three more bodies have been recovered from the Father’s Organic Farm landslide in Batang Kali here, bringing the death toll to 24.

At 1.05pm yesterday – the second day of the search and rescue (SAR) operation – two more bodies were found, believed to be of a mother in her 30s and her toddler son, while the body of a girl was taken out at around 6pm.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the authorities were still searching for nine more victims as at 7pm.

“All agencies are trying their best to search for and rescue the remaining victims,” he told reporters at the landslide site.

The Fire and Rescue Department in a Facebook post said 128 of its personnel were involved in the SAR operation.

According to the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), six dead bodies have been identified as at 11am yesterday. The bodies were identified by their families and by their fingerprints.

The fatalities include a nine-year-old boy, Tong Kai; five female adults Lim Wei Xin, Hong Mei Jing, Nurul Azmani, Lai Lee Yin, and Lai Lee Koo.

Five survivors were being treated at Hospital Selayang and Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, the manager of Father’s Organic Farm has been called in for questioning. However, as at press time, the IGP said the man has yet to come forward.

“He was supposed to get his statement recorded on Saturday (yesterday) afternoon, but he could not make it.

“While our priority is on the SAR, investigations connected to the landslide are still being conducted.

“Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Baharudin Mat Taib will lead any investigation pertaining to the landslide,” added Acryl Sani.