One of the injured children being taken into Ampang Hospital after the landslide at Rumah Anak Yatim Hidayah in Hulu Langat (photo from thestar.com.my)
KAJANG: A landslide hit an orphanage Saturday (21st May 2011) afternoon killing 13 and leaving three still buried.
Firemen and villagers managed to pull out nine soon after the landslide hit Rumah Anak Yatim Hidayah, Madrasah Al-Takwa, Jalan Felcra Semungkus, 14th mile, Hulu Langat, near Kajang at 2.30pm.
At 10.45pm, a boy was pulled out alive after being buried for over eight hours.
The dead and alive have been sent to the Ampang and Kajang Hospitals.
“Two landslides occurred simultaneously. All the victims did not have time to escape,” said Selangor CPO Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah at a press conference at 6.45pm.
A total of 49 students and caretakers were there but 24 escaped unhurt.
The orphanage was partially buried by the landslides at about 2.30pm on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Deputy IGP Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said that rescuers were being hampered by wet soil and rain.
He also appealed to the crowd of onlookers to stay back and allow the rescuers to do their work unimpeded.
Bernama reported that in Alor Gajah, Malacca, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil directed the Social Welfare Department and the ‘Skuad Sayang’ (Caring Squad) to provide immediate assistance to the orphans and family of the victims.
“I will get in touch with the police to obtain detailed information and the actual cause of the landslide so that my ministry can take follow-up action to assist the victms,” she said.
[source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/21/nation/20110521165352&sec=nation]