Three Myanmar nationals buried alive in Cameron Highlands landslide

IPOH: Three Myanmar nationals were killed in a landslide at Batu 49 (Kilometre 78.8) Kampung 3, Terla, Cameron Highlands yesterday.

The victims of the 11am incident were two women known as Naing Vai, 23, and Mu Aye Aye, 34, and a 23year-old man identified as Aung Thong.

Pahang Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Mohd Sani Harul said a landslide occurred on higher ground and the victims who were taking shelter under a shed, were buried alive.

“The shed could not be seen because it was buried under the rubble,” he said in a statement here yesterday.

Further information on the incident will be provided by the department later.

Meanwhile, Cameron Highlands police chief DSP Ashari Abu Samah said Thong and Vai were a married couple while Aye Aye was their friend.

He said the landslide actually happened at about 3am following heavy rain from midnight.

Ashari said investigations revealed that all the victims, believed to be farm workers, were sleeping in the shed which was illegally constructed at the bottom of a steep slope.

“The landslide occurred due the heavy rain and buried the hut,” he said in a statement.

He said police were alerted at 10.40 am before a team of rescuers including from the Fire and Rescue Department rushed to the scene to conduct search and rescue operations.

“On arrival at 11.30am the team found two of the victims had been pulled out by their friends but were pronounced dead.”

“The body of the third victim was extricated at 1.20 pm,” he said, adding that all the bodies were sent to the Tanah Rata Hospital for postmortem. - Bernama