At least 12 people were killed in a landslide as they slept in tents on Friday morning at a Malaysian campsite. Witnesses and officials said that the incident occurred as teams searched through thick mud and trees to find more than 20 missing people.
According to a state fire and rescue service statement, the Selangor State landslide occurred just before 3 AM (19:00 GMT) and ripped down a hillside, transforming it into an organic farm that offers camping facilities.
Teh Lynn, 22 years old, said that she was with 40 other people when the landslide occurred.
She said that she heard “a sound like thunder but it was rocks falling” in Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian. We felt that the tents were becoming unsteady and that soil was being thrown around. I managed to escape the tent to find safety. We managed to escape the tent with my mother and our lives.
One of her siblings died and another one is still in hospital.
According to fire and rescue officials, more than 90 were trapped in the landslide. 59 of them have been declared safe and 22 are still missing.
It said that eight people were also hospitalized in addition to the twelve dead.
Zaliha Mustafa, the health minister, said that one of the patients was pregnant and others were suffering from injuries such as minor cuts or a spinal injury.
Suffian Abdullah, chief of the district police said that all those who died were Malaysians. He also included a five-year-old child.
He stated that nearly 400 personnel from different agencies were deployed to search-and rescue efforts, which are ongoing.
According to state director of the fire and rescue service, the landslide fell from 30 metres (100 feet) high above the campsite. It covered approximately one acre (0.44 hectare).
Local television footage showed the aftermath of large-scale landslides in steeply forested areas near a road. Other images shared on social media depicted rescue workers climbing over large trees, mud and other debris.
Malaysia’s minister for natural resources, environment, and climate change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad tweeted, “I pray the missing victims can find safety soon,” one of many ministers heading to the scene. “The rescue crew has been active since the beginning. “I’m going to go down there today.”
It occurred approximately 50 km (30 miles) northeast of Kuala Lumpur, in Batang Kali, close to the Genting Highlands hilltop, which is known for its natural beauty, resorts, and waterfalls.
Bernama, the news agency that reported on Batang Kali’s water recreation area and campsites was informed by Twitter that they were to be closed immediately.
Father’s Organic Farm has posted photos of a farm in the small valley with large tent-able areas.
Selangor, the most wealthy state in Malaysia is also the site of landslides. Landslides are often blamed on land clearing and forest fires.
Another camper Leong Jim Meng said that he didn’t expect a landslide because it hadn’t been raining recently.
He told Berita Harian that his family was trapped after the soil covered their tent. We managed to get to the car park and call the police. The authorities arrived quickly and only 30 minutes later.
