HULU SELANGOR, Nov 10 — The search and rescue operation for three people still missing following a water surge incident at Lata Jebus, near the Sungai Pertak waterfall in Kampung Pertak, has been extended to the Sungai Selangor Dam, about 3km from the scene.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) assistant director of operations Ashrul Riezal Asbar said search efforts were concentrated along Sungai Luit, from Lata Jebus towards the dam.
“The search area has been expanded to cover a stretch of about 3km along Sungai Luit, from the incident site to the Sungai Selangor Dam,” he told the media at the scene.
The first victim, identified as V. Vijayan, 36, was found near the Pertak Bridge at 1.30am today, 2.7km from where he was swept away.
Four other victims were found near the Senget Bridge and the suspension bridge at about 10.12am today, about 1km from Lata Jebus, but their identities and nationalities have yet to be confirmed.
In the incident at 5.30pm yesterday, eight people comprising a Yemeni, a Malaysian, a Sri Lankan, a Nepalese, and four Indian nationals were swept away by strong currents.
A check at the scene found that a police truck carrying the bodies of four victims left the Incident Command Post at about 12pm today.
It is understood that the bodies were taken to the Sungai Buloh Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Meanwhile, Vijayan's relative B. Partiban, 27, said he arrived at the waterfall after Vijayan, who had gone there with a group of foreign friends.
“The water suddenly surged at about 5.30pm, carrying logs and debris. It was flowing so fast that we could only stand there and watch,” he said.
Partiban and three friends managed to reach safety before the water level rose sharply, but they were unaware that Vijayan had been swept away by the current.
Another survivor, Muhammad, 19, a Yemeni student, said there were no signs of danger when he and five friends arrived at the river, but a sudden surge of water swept away three of his friends near the riverbank, leaving one still missing.
In the latest development, Selangor JBPM director Datuk Wan Md Razali Wan Ismail said the authorities had confirmed the identities of two of the four victims found this morning.
In a statement, he said they were identified as Kapali, 49, from Nepal, and B. Kunjunmaiayil, 35, from India.
Today's search and rescue operation involved 45 JBPM personnel, 25 from the Civil Defence Force, three police officers, and five members of the Batang Kali Volunteer Fire Brigade.
The operation also involved three personnel each from the Hulu Selangor Land Office and Hulu Selangor Municipal Council (MPHS), along with two mountain guides.
