[UPDATED] Batang Kali landslide: rescue work with heavy machinery a delicate affair

BATANG KALI – The search-and-rescue operation team has taken the utmost care in using heavy machinery to prevent damaging bodies still under the earth at the landslide location near the Father’s Organic Farm campsite in Gohtong Jaya, here.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Norazam Khamis said at the initial stage the team would dig 3ft to 4ft into the soil to facilitate the detection of victims’ bodies, according to Bernama.

“After that, the team will stop digging and conduct checks, either through the K9 tracker dog unit or manually to see if there are any signs of human remains.

“If there are no signs, we will continue the digging process slowly to prevent the (excavator) bucket from damaging any bodies,” he told a press conference here today.

Norazam said the process was also monitored by a rescue team member who would give guidance and instructions on the excavation process.

“We don’t want them (the excavation team) to dig the soil as they do for land clearing works. It should be done slowly and lightly,” he said.

As of this morning, eight excavators were deployed to the location and the number will be increased if the need arises.

Norazam added that the rescue team is also using ground-penetrating radar from the Survey and Mapping Department and the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) to locate the remaining victims.

“The two teams using these devices have been deployed to sector A (Hillview) and sector C (Riverside) to detect the victims’ locations and measure the soil’s thickness,” he said.

The landslide tragedy at the campsite, which occurred on Friday, has so far claimed 24 lives.

Paternity DNA tests to identify deceased 

Meanwhile, the Chemistry Department’s DNA Forensic Unit is doing its part to identify the bodies of victims from the fatal landslide.

In a Facebook post today, the department said that the unit’s responsibilities include executing paternity DNA analysis, which is done by comparing a victim’s DNA with a relative’s DNA through blood or saliva samples.

“Samples were received from the Royal Malaysia Police by the unit’s division officers yesterday morning. The analysis was successfully completed later the same day,” the department said.

“The unit’s officers have been working non-stop to ensure that the victims’ bodies can be handed over as soon as possible to their families so that burial arrangements can be made.”

The earthfall, measuring nearly 300m in length and 70m in height, had hit the Father’s Organic Farm campsite located in a canyon below the Batang-Gohtong Jaya road here at around 2.42am on Friday. 

Sixty-one people have been rescued while the search for another nine victims is still ongoing, involving rescue personnel from various agencies, the tracker dog unit and heavy machinery use. 

Meanwhile, Nadma said in a Facebook post today that the Public Works Department and the Survey and Mapping Department are at the incident site for slope monitoring works. 

Nadma said that besides installing movement sensors every ten minutes, the technical agencies are also observing data obtained from a 400m drone flight, including a 30m flight at the search location. – The Vibes, December 18, 2022