Penang landslide: Search and Rescue operations halted due to poor visibility

GEORGE TOWN: Search and Rescue services are struggling to locate the 11 missing persons from the mammoth landslide which swallowed half of an affordable housing project site due to the sheer amount of dirt and debris which have befallen onto the area.
There are also huge boulders blocking access to underneath the tonnes of soil, said George Town OCPD Asst Comm Anuar Omar, who is coordinating the rescue operations.
Police have mobilized all possible resources, including a platoon from the General Operations Force in Ipoh and two police helicopters, who scout the skies hoping to spot signs of life at the project site.
Hi-tech equipment to track for signs of life is also brought in.
Firemen who were specialists in recovery at landslide sites were also called up.
But despite deploying 160 rescue personnel including 14 from the elite SMART search and rescue division as well as four sniffer canine, the rescue operation was called off at 8pm tonight due to poor visibility.
The fate of Malaysian project supervisor Yuan Kuok Wern, 27, one Pakistani, two Indonesians, seven Bangladeshi workers remained uncertain.
"We can only pray and hope for a miracle," said Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu, who had shaved his head bald to protest against the rampant hillside development in Penang.
By 3pm, Search and Rescue personnel have dug out two Bangladeshi and one Rohingya worker from the site.
Meanwhile, college mates of Yuen, have gathered outside the site together with passer-bys, family, relatives and onlookers to monitor the rescue work.
They declined to be named but said that they have tried all means of communication via social media networks such as Facebook and WhatsApp, but there was no reply.
They urged the media to respect the privacy of the family, who are now grieving.
The developer of the site has issued a statement, saying the incident was unfortunate as they had constantly monitored the stability of the hillslope.
They extended their condolences to those affected by the landslide and pledged to cooperate with all parties concerned.
The search and rescue operation will commence at 6am tomorrow.
Teh meanwhile, reminded the state that he has brought up concerns about this project on a few occasions in the past, but it has fallen on deaf ears.