Camerons landslide: Rescuers only using hoes and shovels, heavy machinery unable to access site


The ongoing search operation at the landslide disaster area in Cameron Highlands. – Bernama

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Heavy machinery is still unable to enter the landslide disaster area here and the search operation for three remaining victims can only be done manually for now, says police.

Cameron Highlands district police chief Deputy Supt Azri Ramli said the SAR team conducted a search at the site in Kg Raja, Blue Valley here using equipment like hoes and shovels until an alternative route for the heavy machinery is found.

"The search will continue until 10pm, depending on weather conditions," he said in a press conference near the site on Friday (Jan 26).

Pahang Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director Ismail Abdul Ghani was also present.

Meanwhile, Azri said the SAR team, including the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), had the required equipment to continue the search, including lighting.

Earlier, the bodies of two out of five victims were found and taken out of the rubble.

Azri also confirmed that three of the victims were related, namely a husband and wife and the husband's father.

He also said some of the victims were UNHCR card holders and all of them were Myanmar nationals employed at nearby vegetable farms.

Meanwhile, Ismail said 84 SAR members were conducting the operation, with total manpower of 217.

"We are also assisted by 30 vegetable farmworkers in addition to the SMART unit and two K9 (tracking dogs)," he said.

Ismail said the K9 unit also found some evidence of victims in sector C of the search area.

In the incident at about 2.40am on Friday, five Myanmar nationals, including a woman, were feared dead after two houses were buried in a landslide.

They were identified as Shing Lan Har, 56; Shing Aung, 39; Om Myue, 38; Haphey, 36; and Thang Moung, 25. – Bernama

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Nation

Fire breaks out at Papar Hospital
Fake UM certs? Report them, says varsity
Man arrested in George Town for firearms possession
Nearly 15,000 welfare recipients now self-reliant, says Nancy Shukri
Malaysia aims to finalise South China Sea code of conduct with Asean in 2025
Sabah reviewing by-laws, ordinances to make state cleaner
Sultan of Pahang calls for in-depth study to tackle flood issues in Pahang
Woman found dead at Bukit Bintang condo, believed to have fallen
Don't just focus on UEC, urges Zambry
Sarawak to regulate hydrogen-related activities with amendments to Gas Bill

Others Also Read