Death toll rises to 26 in landslide in Malaysian camping ground
Bangkok, Dec 21 (EFE).- Death toll in a recent landslide at a Malaysian campsite rose to 26, which includes eight children, after the authorities recovered two bodies overnight, officials said Wednesday.
The massive landslide occurred at 2.24am on Friday at Father’s Organic Farm at a wooded mountainous area in Batang Kali, about 40 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur.
Search and rescue teams on Wednesday extracted the body of a man hugging his dog, while the body of a girl, aged 6-10, was recovered late Tuesday, local police chief Suffian Abdullah said at a press conference.
The authorities continue to search for seven others that remain missing in the landslide, according to the regional minister for development, Nga Kor Ming.
The search and rescue teams comprise of nearly 700 people, including official agencies and volunteers, and are led by fire services personnel and the police.
According to authorities, more than 90 people were in the campsite when the landslide occurred, and more than 60 campers were rescued or found safe.
The causes of the incident so far are unknown, although the country is in the middle of the monsoon season, which has already forced the displacement of more than 70,000 people. EFE
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