Malaysia landslide: Body of the last missing boy found

The body of the last victim of the Malaysian landslide at Father’s Organic Farm has been found.

The remains of a boy was discovered by the search and rescue (SAR) team at 4.53 pm.

After most of the day with no new developments, the media was alerted at about 5 pm that the 31st deceased victim may have been found on the ninth day of the SAR operation in Batang Kali, Selangor.

With all the victims discovered, the SAR operation at the foot of Genting Highlands was expected to stand down.

Earlier, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis said that the SAR operation on Saturday was focused on Sector A (Hillview) involving some 80 personnel from various agencies.

The Dec 16 landslide that took the lives of 31 people was the third worst landslide disaster in Malaysia in the last 30 years.

The worst was the Dec 11, 1993, collapse of one of three Highland Towers condominium blocks in Bukit Antarabangsa at the edge of Kuala Lumpur, that killed 48 people.

Block 1 collapsed after being hit by a massive landslide from a steep hill behind it.

The second-worst incident occurred on Aug 29, 1996, when 44 people were killed after mudflow triggered by torrential rain inundated a village in Pos Dipang inhabited by the Orang Asli, Malaysia’s indigenous people, in western Perak state.

All the dead victims at the ill-fated Batang Kali campsite have been identified by the authorities, with the youngest victim a year old boy, and the oldest, a 67-year old man.

A total of 61 people survived the landslide tragedy.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES