KOTA KINABALU: Half of a family has perished after being buried by a landslide in Kg Cendera Kasih.
The victims, comprising 11 people, three adults and eight children, were all in a makeshift wooden house when the landslide struck.
The landslide brought the house and its occupants down with it.
Kota Kinabalu OCPD Asst Comm Kasim Muda said based on initial information, four victims managed to be dug out by rescuers and villagers.
One of the survivors sustained a broken leg.
The first death was recorded when an adult woman was found around noon.
Four others, who were children aged between two and nine, were found at around 2.30pm.
He said this leaves two more victims, a child and a woman, still yet to be found.
ACP Kasim said a total of 76 rescuers, including firemen, police, Civil Defence Force officials and health officials were involved in the search and rescue operations.
“Operations will continue until the remaining victims are found, hopefully by this evening if the weather permits,” he said at the scene.
Residents there will also be required to vacate the area over concerns of more landslides, he said.
Asked if the victims were citizens, ACP Kasim said they believed them to be immigrants but their identities would have to be verified later.
Earlier in the incident, villagers had come together with rescuers to dig out the buried victims.
They used their hands, shovels, hoes and other tools to try and get the victims out.
Meanwhile at a separate location in Kg Unggun Jaya Sepanggar Kota Kinabalu, a landslide was also recorded but no casualties were reported.
