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Penang landslide: SAR operations suspended due to heavy rain

The search and rescue (SAR) operations to locate the landslide victims feared buried at the construction site at Jalan Bukit Kukus, Paya Terubong near here was temporarily halted following heavy rain earlier this morning.

SAR operations deputy commander Mohd Tarmizi Mat Jaafar, who is also Penang Fire Rescue Department officer, said the operation involving Special Tactical Operations and Rescue Malaysia (STORM) team along with K-9 sniffer dog unit had to be suspended for fear of more landslides.

“The operation was suspended at 4.45am following heavy rain and there was no landslide reported having occurred during the downpour. At 7.30am we have yet to start the operation because we need to monitor and inspect the scene.

“We need to monitor the area to see whether there is a land movement and so on and then we will hold a meeting to determine whether the situation is safe to carry out the SAR operations,” he said when contacted by Bernama in George Town today.

The heavy rain stopped at about 6.30am and the Bernama check at the site of the landslide found the presence of firefighters and police personnel who were there since last night.

The tragedy has caused three foreign workers to die, three injured while 10 others feared to be buried alive.

The 1.56pm incident occurred following a downpour in the state since Thursday evening that caused the hilly areas to collapse and slide down bringing the containers and workers’ quarters to be buried together at the construction site of the paired road at Jalan Bukit Kukus in Paya Terubong here.

The body of an Indonesian men Samsul Asman, 19, was found at 3.30pm and Bangladeshi named Attrul, 35, at 5.08pm yesterday, while the body of Myanmar woman, Khin Aye Khaing, 33, was found at 1.30am this morning.

- Bernama

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