Landslide: Three SAR personnel taken ill or injured

BATANG KALI - Three personnel involved in the search and rescue (SAR) operations for the Batang Kali landslide victims were either taken ill or injured yesterday but their condition was stable, police said today.

Hulu Selangor district police chief Supt Suffian Abdullah said they were Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Norazam Khamis, a fireman who was suffering from health complications, and a Civil Defence Force officer who twisted his leg but was discharged from hospital this morning.

"I hope we can all pray for the recovery of these three personnel and the safety of other rescuers involved in the operations,” he told a press conference here.

Norazam was rushed to Hospital Selayang after he was overcome by fatigue and suffered a minor stroke.

Suffian, who is the disaster operations commander, said police could not disclose the identities of the nine campers who are still missing after the landslide at the Father’s Organic Farm in Gohtong Jaya on Friday.

"Maybe we can reveal their identities shortly; the matter is still under police investigation,” he added.

He said families of the missing victims could lodge reports at the nearest police station.

So far police had received only two reports about family members who had gone missing in the incident, he said.

On the seven vehicles which were swept away in the landslide, Suffian said the remaining two owners had been identified - a worker at the farm and a company.

Yesterday, he said the owners of five vehicles had been identified - two of whom perished in the landslide, two survived and one is still missing.

He said there were no positive developments from yesterday’s search, with nine victims still missing.

The tragedy has so far claimed 24 lives while 61 people were rescued. - BERNAMA