Two dead, 14 others still buried in Penang landslide

Two workers have been killed in a landslide in Penang while at least 14 others are feared to have been buried.

Penang Island City Council mayor Maimunah Sharif confirmed the landslide happened at a construction site along Lorong Lembah Permai 3 in Tanjung Bungah.

'I have been on site since 10am, so far 14 people are still buried under the landslide," she told Malaysiakini.

Maimunah said the two found dead were Bangladeshi workers.

The incident happened at around 8.30am.

New Straits Times reported that the Fire and Rescue Department is attempting to rescue the trapped workers.

The report quoted a foreign worker as saying that the incident happened in a flash.

“I was operating the crane when suddenly the earth caved in. There was hardly time to do anything,” he was quoted as saying.

There have been differing figures on the total of workers trapped.

Northeast district police chief Anuar Omar, in a statement, said preliminary information suggested that some 20 people had been buried alive.

The Fire and Rescue Department put the figure at between 15 to 20 people who have been buried from the landslide.

[More to follow]

-Mkini