Landslide: Backpack, children’s boots found at the site

BATANG KALI - Grim atmosphere continues to surround the site of the landslide incident at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite, Jalan Genting, here when suitcases and children’s boots were found during the search.

Sinar Harian journalist Mohd Haris Fadli Mohd Fadzil who had the opportunity to participate in the search and rescue (SAR) operation today said that he and several other media agencies entered the area at 2.15pm under the supervision of the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM).

“Today's weather is good even though it is cloudy but what's heartbreaking is when the clothes bag believed to be one of the victim’s and the children’s boots were found during the excavation.

The rescue team was also seen working diligently to find the remaining victims.

"The survey saw that an excavator, a detection device 'ground penetrating radar' (GPR) and the K9 tracker dog unit are actively trying to locate the victims," he said on Sunday.

He added that a one-hour survey in sectors B and C found that ground movement was still occurring in some areas where water was flowing out.

The condition of the hill, which was quite steep and having to work 24 hours in rotation were among the challenges faced by the personnel involved in the SAR.

"Rainy weather the day before also caused the ground to become slippery and muddy until almost knee-deep in water," he said.

As of 4pm, the remaining nine missing victims have not yet been found.

The search mission for the nine victims is expected to become more difficult in the event of rain due to the flow of river water in the location, making the soil structure less stable.

After personally inspecting the location of the incident, the destruction caused by the 450,000 cubic metres of land became much clearer to Haris.