Share |

Thursday, 6 November 2014

Mud Floods In Camerons: One Killed, Four Injured, Child Missing

KUANTAN, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- A Nepali farm worker was killed while four others were injured and a child is missing in mud floods in Ringlet and Kuala Terla in Cameron Highlands tonight.

Pahang Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Morni Mamat said the disaster in Ringlet also forced the evacuation of 150 residents from 37 families to a multi-purpose hall in the small town, located about 10 kilometres from Tanah Rata, the main town in the highlands .

"A local man and two Indian nationals were almost buried alive at a car workshop in Ringlet but were rescued in time and sent to a nearby hospital for treatment of their injuries which were serious.

"An Indonesian man was also injured in the Ringlet incident while a boy is reported missing in Kuala Terlah near Kampung Raja at the opposite end of the highlands," he said when contacted by Bernama.

Morni said rescuers were frantically searching for the missing boy.

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman in Cameron Highlands said heavy rain since late this afternoon cause mudslides and the water level in Sungai Bertam in Ringlet to rise fast resulting in a mud flood at around 7pm.

"However, the area where a similar disaster took place last year has not been affected till now," he said.

In Oct 24 last year, a controlled release of water from the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam following continuous heavy rain resulted in a massive mudflow downstream which claimed three lives and left nearly 100 houses destroyed.

Meanwhile, Cameron Higlands police chief DSP Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said the search operation for the boy, aged 13, who is feared to have drowned, had been halted temporarily due to unfavourable weather and would resume tomorrow.

He said the identity of the boy had yet to be ascertained.

He identified the Nepali farm worker as Md Yousus Miya, 66, and the Indonesian as Iswandi Nahrowi, 40.

Wan Mohd Zahari said Md Yousus was buried alive in a mudslide in Jalan Ulu Merah in Ringlet at around 7.30pm.

"His body was recovered at 8.30pm," he said.

He said that water from the dam was released in stages since this afternoon and residents were ordered to move to higher ground for their safety.

No comments: