Miri landslide shatters festive spirit of Chinese New Year celebrations

THE festive spirit of Chinese New Year in Sarawak was marred by tragedy when a landslide struck Kampung Lereng Bukit, Miri, early yesterday morning, claiming five lives and leaving the community in grief, reported Bernama.

The search and rescue (SAR) operation, which began at 3.03 am, ended at 6.50 pm after the last victim was found at 6.06 pm and retrieved from the rubble 20 minutes later.

According to a spokesperson from the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department’s Operations Centre, the five victims who tragically lost their lives in the incident were identified as Sazarena Arabi, 41; Fatimah Dawi, 71; Irsyad Syairah, 16; Nur Raisyah Syahirah, 8; and Nur Rania Syafiqah, 11.

The five victims lived in the same house, while two other occupants, Nur Irsalina Syairah, 17, who sustained a broken right leg, and Arabi Samsudin, 71, who was unharmed, survived.

Five other survivors from a separate house affected by the landslide have been identified as Muhammad Mahmud, 60; Nur Athirah Nabinah, 29; Nur Afiqah, 29; and Nur Aqilah Nadirah, 18, with Massahan Mustafa, 58, suffering a minor injury to his left leg.

The tragedy drew the attention of Sarawak Governor Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, and his wife, Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, who extended their condolences to the victims’ family and expressed profound sorrow over the incident.

Wan Junaidi commended the swift response of the rescue teams and relevant authorities in managing the situation, stressing the importance of prioritising safety for residents in hilly and elevated areas and urging the authorities to carry out regular inspections and monitoring to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Also expressing his sorrow over the tragic incident that occurred during the Chinese New Year celebrations was Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

In his Facebook post, Ahmad Zahid, who is also chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, urged the public to remain cautious following a continuous rain warning issued by the Malaysian Meteorological Department for several areas in Sarawak and Sabah until Friday. - January 30, 2025