Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Dec 16: A landslip that hit a campsite in Malaysia early on Friday claimed the lives of at least nine people, among them a 5-year-old child, and left about 25 people missing. Search and rescue workers are on the scene seeking survivors, according to officials who spoke to Reuters.
On the outskirts of the nation’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, in the state of Selangor, the landslip started at three in the morning local time (1900 GMT). According to a statement from the state fire and rescue service, the landslide completely destroyed a farmhouse that provided camping facilities and was located on the side of the road.
The National Disaster Management Agency posted a message on social media stating that out of the more than 90 persons caught in the landslide, 60 had been discovered safe, and 25 were still missing. In addition to the nine fatalities, seven people also suffered injuries.
Suffian Abdullah, the district police head, spoke to the media and announced that around 400 people from various agencies had been sent for the search and rescue operation.
The department’s head, Norazam Khamis, told Reuters that the landslide covered an area of around one acre and came down from a height of roughly 30 metres (100 feet) above the campsite (0.4 hectare).
The tragedy occurred close to the Genting Highlands, a picturesque hill country region in the Batang Kali district, north of the capital, known for its resorts and its stunning scenery. Landslides have previously occurred in Selangor and are frequently connected to logging and land clearing.
In seven states across the nation a year ago, flooding brought on by excessive rain forced roughly 21,000 people to flee their homes.
