BATANG KALI – The search-and-rescue operation for nine missing victims following the landslide at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite, Gohtong Jaya here, continues today.
Bernama reports that the operation, which was halted at 4am today and resumed at 9am, involved rescue personnel from various agencies, the tracker dog unit and heavy machinery use.
The search area is still focused on three sectors, namely sector A (Hillview camp), sector B (Farmview camp) and sector C (near Riverside camp).
Today’s weather appears to be fine with media practitioners from various agencies starting to camp as early as 7am at the scene of the incident.
A total of 24 victims have been confirmed dead out of 94 people involved in the tragedy as of yesterday afternoon. Sixty-one people have been rescued and nine are still missing.
A landslide of nearly 300m long and 70m high hit the Father’s Organic Farm campsite, Gohtong Jaya on Jalan Genting-Batang Kali here at around 2.42am on Friday.
Meanwhile, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Norazam Khamis said sniffer dogs have been working overtime in search of victims still lying under the sprawling rubble of earth.
“They need to rest...they have been doing more than what they should be,” he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.
“We have dogs from the Fire and Rescue Department, police and army involved in the search...we will be bringing in more if the need arises.”
Norazam has clarified that no K9s were injured in the search-and-rescue efforts.
He added that a total of nine K-9s from various agencies have been deployed, with six from the Fire and Rescue Department, two from police, and one from the army. – The Vibes, December 18, 2022
