Elderly Father And His Down Syndrome Daughter Escape Unhurt In Landslide Incident

KUALA KRAI, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- A senior citizen and his daughter, who has Down Syndrome, miraculously survived when their home, in Kampung Lata Rek, was struck by a landslide yesterday.

Senior Fire Officer II Khairul Duha Abdul Halim, the senior operations commander of the Kuala Krai Fire and Rescue Department, said that the department received an emergency call about the incident from the victims’ neighbour, at 9.56 pm.

“Upon reaching the site, it was discovered that the landslide had damaged the back portions of two houses and a workshop, where the victims and eight other family members resided.

“We observed continued land movement in the area, prompting us to evacuate individuals within a 60-meter radius from the affected area,” he explained in a statement, today.

He added that all the victims were handed over to the police, and transported to a temporary evacuation centre in Laloh.

In a separate incident, Jeli district police chief Supt Saari Yaacob reported that a house in Kampung Belahat was severely damaged by a landslide, at 4 am today.

“Thankfully, there were no casualties in this incident. The Public Works Department engineers have already assessed the condition of the affected structures,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents from eight villages in Gua Musang were cut off, after a landslide occurred at KM 35 of Jalan Gua Musang-Jeli, yesterday.

Gua Musang district police chief Supt Sik Choon Foo said that the road had been severely damaged, with a 15-metre land shift causing it to curve. The road has been closed to all vehicles.

-- BERNAMA