The death toll due to the landslide at an unauthorised campsite in Malaysia has climbed to 25 including eight children. According to officials, the remains of a young girl were recovered on Tuesday night.
Local police chief Suffian Abdullah said on Wednesday the girl was found five metres below ground, adding she was believed to be between the age of six and 10, according to a report by news agency AFP. Addressing a press conference, the police chief said that when the victim was found, she was dressed in pink pants and shirt, sleepwear. Her death has taken the toll to 25.
The landslide, which occurred in the early hours of December 16, hit the campsite located at an organic farm near Batang Kali in Selangor state, just north of Malaysia’s capital city Kuala Lumpur.
A day later, the fire and rescue department’s state director said that the landslide came down from an estimated height of 30 metres above the campsite, and covered an area of about one acre, according to a report by CNN.
Eight people are still reported to be missing and more than 600 personnel from teams led by the fire and rescue department and the police force are involved in the search and rescue operations, AFP reported.
There were more than 90 people at the campsite when the landslide struck, officials said on Wednesday, adding over 60 campers were found safe or rescued.
Authorities said the organic farm (where the campsite was located) did not have a licence to run a campsite and its operators will be punished if they broke the law.
Landslides are common in Malaysia post heavy rainfall that is regular at the end of the year. However, the campsite area did not see any heavy rainfall on the night of the disaster.
(With inputs from agencies)
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