Landslide at Unlicensed Camping Site in Malye... At Least 16 Dead

17 Missing Presumed Buried... 400 People Deployed for Rescue Operation

On the 16th (local time), rescue workers are conducting operations at the campsite in Batang Kali, Malaysia, where a landslide occurred. Photo by AP · Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] A landslide occurred at a campsite on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, resulting in at least 16 deaths and 17 people missing.

According to local media Bernama and foreign news agencies, the landslide happened around 2 a.m. local time on the 16th at a campsite in Batang Kali, Selangor, about 50 km north of Kuala Lumpur.

It was reported that 94 people were at the campsite when the landslide occurred. As of 1 p.m. that day, 16 deaths were confirmed. The number of presumed missing is 17, and there are 61 survivors including 7 injured.

The damage was reported to be greater due to the landslide occurring late at night. Authorities stated that soil and debris poured down from about 30 meters above the campsite, covering an area of about 1 acre (approximately 4046㎡), roughly half the size of a soccer field.

A survivor who was at the campsite at the time of the accident said, "I woke up to a loud noise like an explosion, then felt the ground move and soil rushing down." He added, "It was very dark, so I couldn't see anything." He continued, "The soil covered the tent and I was trapped but barely escaped, then a second landslide occurred." He also said, "It had only drizzled a few days ago, and there was no heavy rain, so I never imagined a landslide would happen."

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said, "Please pray so that rescue operations can proceed smoothly," and added, "I will visit the site tonight." More than 400 personnel have been deployed to the landslide site, and they are continuing the search, believing the missing are buried under the debris.

Meanwhile, the campsite where the accident occurred is known to be an unauthorized campsite with only a farm operation permit. Ngah Ko Ming, Minister of Local Government Development, said, "It is believed that the campsite has been operated after submitting an application for agricultural activities," and added, "Strict measures will be taken against those operating the campsite without proper permits."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.