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BATANG KALI – With only one victim still unaccounted for, the search-and-rescue operation at Father’s Organic Farm landslide site, in Gohtong Jaya here, resumed this morning for the ninth day.
Despite the favourable weather yesterday, the operation was suspended around 11pm as a precaution to ensure the safety of rescue personnel involved.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Norazam Khamis said today’s operation involved 53 personnel from the department, the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force, and the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team.
“They are assisted by 10 dogs from the tracker dog unit (K9) and nine excavators and the operation will focus on Sector A,” he said.
Today, the rescue team will search for the remaining victim, believed to be a boy, who is one of the 92 victims involved in the landslide on December 16.
There are 61 survivors of the tragedy which occurred at 2.42am and has so far claimed 30 lives.
Twelve women, six men, six boys, and six girls made up the total number of fatalities. All of them have also been identified and their bodies have been claimed by their next of kin.
Meanwhile, a Bernama check at the on-scene command post found that media practitioners began arriving there in stages to cover and provide the latest updates on the search-and-rescue operation for the last victim.
The rescue team was also seen entering the search-and-rescue operation area in groups led by Fire and Rescue Department personnel with fair weather reported at the location this morning. – Bernama, December 24, 2022
