Malaysia’s government on Friday ordered a whole ban on all camping sites within the country after 21 people, including children, died in an early morning landslide at an illegal camping site near the country’s popular Genting Highlands casino resort.
According to reports, a complete of 94 people were on the campsite when the landslide hit at 3 a.m. The landslide from a height of greater than 100 feet caused greater than an acre of land to be covered in dirt.
The victims included three children and 10 women, in response to the hearth and rescue service. Seventeen victims were still missing as of 1 p.m. Friday. Of those rescued, three were Singaporeans, in response to the city-state’s foreign ministry.
The closure order was issued by Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming, who visited the disaster site, positioned about 25km northeast of the capital Kuala Lumpur at an altitude of greater than 900m above sea level, making it a well-liked spot for residents searching for respite from the tropical heat.
“This morning, an order was issued to 155 local authorities to immediately close all camping sites for seven days,” the minister told reporters.
Moreover, campsites near waterfalls, hill cliffs and risk areas can have to be vacated indefinitely until the federal government issues a brand new order, he added, making an allowance for the weather forecast for five days ranging from Saturday.
Nga also revealed that the affected campsite, Father’s Organic Farm, only had an organic farm license and didn’t have the correct documents to run a campsite.
“The government will take strict motion against the operators. No one is above the law,” he said.
Interior Minister Saifuddin Nasution, who was also on the scene, nevertheless, said the matter could be reviewed later because the priority for the time being was to search out the missing individuals.
Although the campsite owner says there have been 94 people staying at the positioning, authorities say the number could possibly be much higher because children under the age of 4 usually are not required to register.
“For example, in a family of five, it is likely that only the wife has registered her name on behalf of the others,” Saifuddin said.
Camper Teh Lynn Xuan, 22, said certainly one of her brothers died and the opposite was being treated in hospital.
“I heard a loud sound like thunder, but it was rocks falling,” Berita Harian told a Malay-language every day.
“We felt the tents becoming unstable and the bottom sinking around us. Fortunately, I used to be capable of leave the tent and go to a safer place. My mother and I managed to get out and save ourselves.”
Local newspaper The New Straits Times reported that 20 teachers from Mun Choong Chinese Primary School and their members of the family were staying on the camp as of Wednesday.
The Bernama news agency tweeted that every one camping grounds and recreational areas around Batang Kali have been closed until further notice, citing the inside minister.
Photos posted on the Father’s Organic Farm Facebook page show the home nestled in a small valley, with a big area where tents could be pitched.
Local television footage showed the aftermath of the landslide in a wooded area next to a road, while other photos on social media showed rescuers climbing through thick mud, large trees and other debris.
Selangor is the richest state within the country and has had a history of landslides, often attributable to deforestation and land clearing.
Leong Jim Meng, one other camper, said he and his family didn’t expect the landslide because there had been no heavy rain in recent days, only a light-weight drizzle.
“My family and I were trapped as the ground covered our tent,” Berita Harian said. “We managed to run to the parking lot and call the authorities. They arrived quite quickly, about 30 minutes later.”
A 12 months ago, about 21,000 people had to depart their homes as a result of flooding attributable to heavy rains in seven states across the country.
