[UPDATED] Outdoor activities in Batang Kali suspended with immediate effect: Saifuddin

KUALA LUMPUR – All outdoor recreational activities in Batang Kali are suspended following the early morning landslide that has taken 13 lives, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

In a press conference at the incident site, he said the authorities have been ordered to check if the campsites in the area have the relevant permits, although the priority is to recover the 23 missing victims. 

“The first body was found at 4.50am and the last body was brought out around 11am. As of now, 11 bodies have been brought out while 23 remain missing.

“I have been informed that the IGP (Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani) has instructed all police stations to be alert to any reports regarding missing people in Batang Kali. This is to enable us to get an accurate number of victims.

“Questions on environment and governance will be addressed later as the focus is on SAR operations.”

The SAR operations are aided by six dogs from the K9 Unit.

He added that more SAR personnel will be deployed and they will take the relevant safety precautions.

The full extent of the landslide.
Source: Selangor Bomba pic.twitter.com/yC731n6yVU

— TheVibes.com (@thevibesnews) December 16, 2022

Also at the press conference is Selangor infrastructure and agriculture exco Izham Hashim who said there were no warning signs days before the landslide.

“There were no warnings, no cracks (on the roads) or fallen trees. We will still take precautionary steps to secure the area.”

He added that a forensic investigation will be conducted into the tragedy.

This morning, the Mineral and Geoscience Department’s disaster team had been on site to investigate the cause of the landslide.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub has offered volunteers and food to the rescuers in Batang Kali.

“Aid will be channelled immediately so the SAR operations can be conducted smoothly,” he told reporters after launching Ops Terjah here today.

As of 11am, 13 people have died from the early morning landslide at a campsite in Batang Kali, said Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa. 

She said that some of the bodies have been sent to Sg Buloh Hospital while the rest are still at the incident site. 

Among the dead are a boy, a man, and six women. – The Vibes, December 16, 2022