Landslide that hit Malaysia campsite: What we know so far

At least 24 people, including young children, were killed in a landslide that hit a campsite near Genting Highlands in Malaysia on Friday morning. As at Saturday, nine people were still missing, and 61 rescued.

The fatal landslide struck along a road near the Father’s Organic Farm, about 4.5km or a 10-minute drive from Gohtong Jaya in Genting Highlands.

It happened around 2am, hitting the camping area which has three sites. Two of the sites were totally covered by the landslide.

According to the farm's Facebook page, it offers family-friendly activities and eco-tourism packages including educational guides on organic vegetable farming. It also provides camping facilities and packages.

Those affected are believed to have entered the site from Dec 7 for camping activities. There were 94 of them, including families with young children and 20 teachers from a primary school.

Leong Jim Meng, who was there with his family, said he did not see it coming as it had not been raining heavily, with just a light drizzle in recent days.

“My family and I were trapped when the soil covered our tent,” he told Malaysia’s Berita Harian. “We managed to run to the parking lot and called the authorities. They arrived quite quickly, about 30 minutes later.”

About 700 people from several agencies were deployed for search and rescue efforts. They were still searching for those missing on Saturday.

The authorities have ordered all outdoor activities, including camping, around Batang Kali to stop immediately following the landslide.

At 2.24am, the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call.

Around 3am, rescue teams started to arrive at the scene.

At the end of Friday, 21 people were confirmed dead. The death toll rose to at least 24 on Saturday.

District police chief Suffian Abdullah said the 24 killed were Malaysians, including at least seven children.

At least 61 people were rescued, including Singapore permanent resident Tee Yeow King, his Singaporean wife and two children.

 

Speaking to The Straits Times from the police station, Mr Tee, 37, a sales manager, said: “The sound got louder and it was nothing like I have heard before. It sounded like trees were being ripped apart and rocks crumbling.”

Landslides commonly occur where there are steeper slopes.

Typically, sediment, soil or rock can hold itself due to their internal strength and friction of the material on the slope. A landslide can occur when the force of gravity becomes greater than either the friction or the strength of the sediment, according to an explainer done by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

Landslides are common in Malaysia, typically after heavy rains.

In early December, more than 30 locations nationwide were identified as landslide hotspots by the Department of Minerals and Geosciences. The continuous rain during the northeast monsoon, which is expected to last until March next year, is the main reason why areas with slopes exceeding 25 degrees are at risk of erosion, according to The Star.

The region is currently experiencing the monsoon season, with daily rainfall recorded on Dec 10, 11, 12 and 14, according to data from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage’s website. However, there was no heavy rain recorded on Thursday, Dec 15.

Batang Kali typically experiences its heaviest rainfall in December

Water can add significant weight to a slope as it seeps into the ground, and builds on to the gravitational force. Water also reduces friction.

Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said the campsite was operating illegally without a required licence.

He said the site operators had obtained permission only for farming organic vegetable crops. No approval for camping activities was given by the local authorities.

An environmental NGO, Sahabat Alam Malaysia, has urged the Malaysian authorities to set up a commission of inquiry to identify the cause of the landslide.