Malaysia landslide death toll rises to 23, 10 still missing

The death toll from the devastating landslide near Malaysia’s Batang Kali town has risen to 23 after the bodies of a woman and a boy were recovered.

The landslide in Batang Kali, a popular hilly area about 5 kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur, tore in their tents, killing the victims including six children.

Out of the 94 people caught in the slide, 61 were safe and 10 still missing, according to the Selangor state fire and rescue department.

Search and rescue operations continued for a second day today after a halt overnight due to heavy rains that have complicated the operation, said state fire and rescue chief Norazam Khamis.

“We have to be careful because there is strong water flow from the top and in the soil. This complicates search operations because the ground is soft,” he said.

Excavators were deployed and some worked with rescue dogs to sniff out possible signs of life and cadavers.

Officials said an estimated 450,000 cubic meters of debris enough to fill 180 Olympic-sized swimming pools hit the campsite.

Norazam told reporters that chances were slim of more missing people being able to survive the lack of oxygen and the weight of the mud.

The Malaysia National Disaster Management Agency said they have identified six victims. The youngest was a 9-year-old boy.

Most were families enjoying a short vacation during the year-end school break.

A mother and her toddler daughter were found hugging each other in a heart-rending scene, rescuers said.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told reporters late on Friday the government would provide 10,000 ringgit ($3,365) in aid to families of every person killed in the tragedy, while survivors would receive 1,000 ringgit ($336)per household.

Officials are unable to pinpoint the exact cause of the landslide, which came without warning, but believed it could be due to underground water movement while the year-end monsoon rains made the soil unstable.

Survivors recounting their ordeal told local media they heard a thunderous noise and felt the earth move before soil collapsed on their tents.

The government has ordered all campsites nationwide that are near rivers, waterfalls and hillsides to be shut for a week to assess their safety.

Authorities however said it had been running illegally for the past two years, had permission to run the farm but no license to operate camping activities.

If found guilty, the operator faces up to three years in prison and a fine.