Tanjung Bungah landslide: Three bodies pulled out

GEORGE TOWN: Three bodies have been pulled out so far, from the debris of a major landslide which hit a constrution site in Lengkok Lembah Permai, Tanjong Bungah this morning.
State Fire and Rescue Department director Saadon Moktar said the body of two Indonesians were found between 10am and 10.45am, while the body of another man whose nationality is yet to be ascertained was found at 1pm.
He said search and rescue operations were still ongoing to locate the 11 remaining victims comprising a local and Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Myanmar, and Indonesia nationals.
However, he did not reveal further particulars of the victims involved as the department was still ascertaining their identities.
He added the department was in the midst of determining cause of the incident.
Saadon said search operations is currently focused on three zones.
He also believed the victims were working when the tragedy struck.
"We will update the media from time to time," he told reporters when met at the scene in Lembah Permai, Tanjung Bungah.
In the 8.57am incident, a huge tide of dirt and debris fell on a housing construction site next to the Tenby International School in Lengkok Lembah Permai.
The state fire and rescue department is leading the rescue efforts together withh all federal and state agencies.
The authorities are surveying the area ro determine if evacuations need to be made as there are residentials in the area.
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk Maimunah Shariff said further investigations will be carried out to determine exact cause of landslide.
She said the cause yet be known but ruled out possibility of wet weather as island did not experience any rain last few days.
Northeast district police chief ACP Anuar Omar, in a statement, confirmed the incident and said search and rescue operations were being carried out at time of writing.
Nonetheless, Tanjung Bungah Residents Association chairman Meenakshi Raman urged authorities to review this incident seriously.
She said state government must urgently address this to avoid another untoward incident.
Former Penang Island City Council (MBPP) councillor Dr. Lim Mah Hui also weighed in urging state to take concrete action.
Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari who was on the scene urged all quarters to stop specualting.
"Remedial actions will be taken if a post mortem reveals that the landslide occurred due to soil erosion," he said.
One of the trapped victim's brother, Mohd Awal Jafra Alma, 21, quickly rushed to the scene when informed of the incident
Awal, who works at a nearby construction site said he was prepared for any eventualities regarding his brother Abdul Rahman,18.
Below is a video of the site following the landslide: