Challenging rescue op underway after woman falls into ravine in Perak

IPOH: A 35-year-old woman fell down a 10m-deep ravine at Gunung Korbu, near the Sultan Azlan Shah Dam in Ulu Kinta.

Perak Fire and Rescue Department assistant operations director Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the victim is believed to have tried to make her way across a fallen tree trunk on a hillslope before the incident.

"We received an emergency call about the incident on Monday (July 8) at about 3.30pm," he said in a statement.

"The victim was clinging on the tree trunk before she slipped and fell," he said, adding that the victim was part of a 35-member expedition group that was descending from the mountain.

"The location is a known spot where there had been previous incidents of people slipping and falling down.

"A doctor from another expedition group confirmed that the victim did not suffer any broken bones but was in a state of shock," he said.

"The victim had initially complained about breathing difficulties but returned to normal later on," he added.

Sabarodzi said the distance from the base camp to the location where the victim fell was about 3km.

"The trek to the location would require between two to four hours.

"A team of firemen and rangers from the state Forestry Department are part of the rescue operation," he said, adding that they departed base camp at about 4.20pm.

"Some expedition guides are accompanying the victim while the other expedition members have been brought out to base camp," he added.

Sabarodzi said there were several challenges during the operation.

These, he said, included trekking in dim surroundings, steep hillside terrain and crossing three tributaries.

"Some of the tributaries are 10m wide, with water up to our thighs.

"The ground is also slippery due to the rain, and our personnel were carrying various rescue equipment, including a stretcher," he added.