At least 21 killed, many more missing in landslide at Malaysian campground
The cause of the landslide was not clear, but officials said no camping activities were allowed in the area.
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Following a fatal landslide in Batang Kali, rescue workers are searching for a number of missing people.
Dec. 16 (UPI) -- At least 21 people were killed when a landslide swept over campgrounds in Malaysia's western Selangor state early Friday, officials said.
The landslide occurred shortly before 2:30 a.m. at Father's Organic Farm camping grounds in the Batang Kali township, located about 30 miles north of the capital Kuala Lumpur.
The state fire and rescue service said in a statement that responders arrived on the scene about a half hour later to discover the landslide had affected an estimated three-acre region with ruins reaching nearly 100 feet high.
By mid-day, responders were still searching for several people unaccounted for, the ministry of local government development said.
The ministry had reported a death toll of 16, but later downgraded it by three. The BBC reported at least 21 people have died in the landslide. Officials listed 61 survivors from the landslide.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he has been informed of the situation by local and state officials and has ordered search and rescue missions to be carried out "meticulously and systematically by all government departments."
"Please pray of Malaysians so that this mission can be made easier," he tweeted, adding that he will visit the site Friday night.
The cause of the landslide was not clear, but Local Government Development Minister Nga Kore Mings said the camping ground was operating without a license, The Straits Times reported.
The minister added that no approval for camping activities had been awarded to Father's Organic and it was only allowed to use the land for organic farming.
"I have instructed 155 local councils to check and vacate all the campsites along the high-risk areas, including waterfall, river and hill side areas," he said.
Rescuers were searching for several people unaccounted for Friday afternoon, hours after a landslide buried a campground in Malaysia's western Selangor state. (KPKT Malaysia/Facebook)
