Water Surge: 21 Stranded At Risda Eco Park Resort Rescued - Fire Dept

TANJUNG MALIM, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- All 19 visitors and two staff members of the Risda Eco Park Resort, who were stranded due to a water surge incident yesterday, were rescued around 12 noon today, said Perak Fire and Rescue Department Zone 4 chief Khairil Adli Zakaria.

Khairil Adli, who led the operations, said that the group, which included 14 adults and seven children, was rescued by crossing the river using ropes and a boat.

“We faced a strong current in Sungai Geliting and had children among the group, so we used a boat as a safety measure. It took us about four hours to rescue all of them,” he said when speaking to reporters after the rescue operation today.

He added that no injuries were reported, and the victims, aged between two and 50, were taken to a temporary evacuation centre for further assistance.

The operation involved 30 personnel, including 12 firefighters, five members of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), and 13 volunteers.

In the 7 pm incident yesterday, the Sungai Geliting bridge connecting the resort to the main road collapsed due to a water surge, leaving 21 individuals stranded. The surge also damaged the intake of the Sungai Geliting water treatment plant.

Continuous heavy rain, from afternoon until midnight, caused flooding in several areas in the Mualim district. The severe weather led to the collapse of three bridges, trapping hundreds of residents, who were later rescued and relocated to two relief centres.

-- BERNAMA