4 bodies found so far as search continues for Penang landslide victims
Five are still feared missing, believed to be buried in the debris.
GEORGE TOWN: After two days of search and rescue (SAR) for victims of the landslide tragedy at Paya Terubong here, four bodies were found.
Three people have survived while five others are feared to be still buried in the debris.
The operation involving over 200 rescue personnel from various agencies including the Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Unit (STORM) together with the Fire Department tracker dog (K9) unit was put on hold twice on the second day of the tragedy following heavy rain at the site.
Penang Fire and Rescue Department director Saadon Moktar said the SAR operation had to stop following fears of land movements due to heavy rains in the area.
“The operation was temporarily suspended at 7 pm today due to land movements and poor lighting but we hope to get back to work at 8am tomorrow.
He said the Department of Minerals and Geoscience would inspect the land tomorrow morning before the teams could continue with the SAR operation.
The four bodies found were that of Indonesians Samsul Asman, 19, and Bahtiar, 36; Bangladeshi citizen Attarul, 35; and a Myanmar woman, Khin Aye Khaing, 33.
Three other victims were found safe with minor injuries: a Bangladeshi man known as Shamim, 24; and two Indonesian women, Norazizah, 24 and Wa Iri, 31, who is four months pregnant and wife to Bahtiar.
The Fire and Rescue Department said five people – an Indonesian named Subairi, and four Bangladeshis Mithu Hossain, 30; Mohamad Abd Jalil, 34; Ujal, 33; and Rahat, 25 – are feared to be still buried in debris.
Meanwhile police have listed the names of the missing persons as Suhairi, Indonesian, Mithu Hossain, Bangladeshi and Md Jalil.
Two others, Mohamad Ujal, 33 and Mohamad Rajan, 25, both Bangladeshis, were not given the “missing” status in the list as they do not have legal documents.
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“Their family members have failed to provide any personal documents and we believe the last two on the list were not at the scene during the incident or could have escaped after the landslide,” he said.