The site north of the Malaysian capital was hit in the early hours of the morning after torrential rain.
Rescue teams are searching for dozens of people missing at a campsite in Malaysia after a landslide in the early hours of the morning that killed at least two people.
Emergency services, including officers from 12 fire stations and civil defence, said they rushed to the scene – in a hilly part of the state of Selangor – after receiving a distress call at 2.24am (18:24 GMT).
In a statement, the national fire department said that as of 7am (23:00 GMT) Thursday, three people had been confirmed injured while 23 had been found safe. Rescuers are continuing to search for 51 people still missing.
The landslide struck at the side of the road near an organic farm about 45 minutes northeast of the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
Kejadian Tanah Runtuh Fathers Organik Farms Gohtong
Pasukan Khas Pertahanan Awam (PASPA) dan APM Hulu Selangor bersama membantu pasukan keselamatan untuk bersama dalam operasi mencari dan menyelamat mangsa tanah runtuh di Fathers Organik Farms Gohtong, Batang Kali, pic.twitter.com/2WmMmBH9lq
— Official Angkatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia (@APMtwiter) December 16, 2022
[Translation: Landslide at Fathers Organic Farm. Special Civil Defence Team and Civil Defence Hulu Selangor worked with security forces in a search and rescue operation for victims of the landslide at Fathers Organic Farm, Gohtong, Batang Kali]
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was “shocked” at the news of the landslide and had been briefed on the rescue efforts. He said some ministers were on the ground, and that he would visit the site later on Friday.
“Let’s pray for the people of Malaysia and hope that this mission goes smoothly,” he said in a statement.
Malaysia is in the midst of the monsoon and experiencing regular downpours.
Landslides are not uncommon in the areas near the capital in the rainy season.
In March, officials in Selangor said they had identified some 150 slopes at high risk of landslides, many of them around the hills to the east of Kuala Lumpur.
A large landslide after 10 days of torrential rain in the same area led to the collapse of a block of apartments at the Highland Towers condominium complex in December 1993. Some 48 people died in the disaster.
