16 dead, 17 missing following landslide at campsite near Kuala Lumpur

A landslide at a campsite in Malaysia killed at least 16 people while they slept early on Friday, officials said. Search teams are wading through thick mud and downed trees to search for 17 more missing.

Nor Hisham Mohammad, director of the operations division at the fire and rescue department, told reporters that "as of 1 pm (0500 GMT), 16 victims have died. The search now is focused on the remaining 17."

The landslide occurred near the town of Batang Kali, just outside the capital Kuala Lumpur and near a mountain casino resortat about 3 am. It brought down a hillside into an organic farm that also offers camping facilities, the state fire and rescue department said in a statement.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Over 90 people were caught in the landslide and 61 of them have been found safe.According to Nga Kor Ming, the local government development minister,the "campsite is operating without a licence". Nga further said that the operators would be punished if found guilty by the court.

Teh Lynn Xuan, one of the campers, told Reuters that she was camping with 40 others when the landslide struck. She said one of her brothers died, while another is in the hospital.

"I heard a loud sound like thunder, but it was the rocks falling," she told Malay-language daily Berita Haria. "We felt the tents becoming unstable and soil was falling around us. Luckily, I was able to leave the tent and go to someplace safer. My mother and I managed to crawl out and save ourselves."

"I pray that the missing victims can be found safely soon," Malaysia's minister of natural resources, environment and climate change, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, tweeted on Friday morning. "The rescue team has been working since early. I'm going down there today."

News agency Bernama, citing the minister of home affairs, informed in a tweet that all campsites and water recreation areas around Batang Kali have been told to shut down immediately until further notice.

Norazam Khamis, the department's director, said the landslide fell from an estimated height of 30 metres (100 ft) above the campsite, and covered an area of about one acre (0.4 hectare).

Footage from local television showed the aftermath through a forested area beside a road.In images posted on social media, rescue workers can be seen clambering over thick mud, large trees and other debris.

Genting Highlands is a scenic hill country area in Batang Kali district, north of the capital, popular for its resorts and natural beauty. Selangor has witnessed landslides before, often attributed to forest and land clearance. Its rainy season right now in the region, but no heavy rain or earthquakes were recorded overnight.

A year ago, about 21,000 people were displaced by flooding from torrential rain in seven states across the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.