CAMERON HIGHLANDS: IT was a scene too painful for everyone, including rescuers, when they dug up the remains of an 8-month pregnant mother with her 1-year-old son in her arms in Tringkap yesterday.
M. Nithiyawaty, 24, and R. Rubeniswaran were buried alive while attempting to escape from their makeshift house following a landslide caused by continuous heavy rain in the past two weeks.
Her husband, V. Raja, 41, was pulled out to safety by rescuers more than two hours after the 4.30am incident.
Raja, who was buried chest down, escaped with injuries to both his legs.
The couple’s dilapidated house, made out of chip board, steel and a zinc roof, was behind a car workshop where Raja worked for the past 10 months.
It was reduced to rubbles following the landslide.
Met at the Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom Hospital, Raja said they were trying to make a dash out of the house.
“Everything happened so fast. We were fast asleep. Suddenly, I heard loud noises, followed by dogs barking and my employer calling out to me.
“I woke my wife and son, and we tried to leave the house together but it was pitch dark.
“All of a sudden, tonnes of soil came crashing down on our house. My wife and son were buried while I was buried chest down.
“I was in a daze and only came about when rescuers pulled me out,” he said.
Raja said he worked until 10pm on Monday night and by the time he got home, he was too tired to have a proper meal.
He said everyone went to bed early that night.
Raja has been married for five years and the couple were expecting their third child. The first child died at birth.
Raja’s employer, C. Vijayan, 33, made a dash out of his workshop with his wife and three children after he was awoken by a loud thud.
“As I was running out, I heard noises coming from Raja’s house.
“A few of us broke a side door to reach Raja and his family but it was too late.
“He was stuck in the soil with pieces of steel lying on his legs. His family was nowhere in sight.
“I called for help and a few of us grabbed a hoe to dig up the soil but to no avail,” said Vijayan.
Meanwhile, Cameron Highlands Fire and Rescue Department chief Yusry Abdullah Sani said they
received a distress call at 5.29am.
“Our priority is to save the one alive. We managed to pull him out at 7.13am.
“The body of the child was pulled out at 8.04am and the mother, about 10 minutes later,” he said.
Yusry said those staying at the affected site had been asked to vacate for their own safety.
All the shops fronted a hill where illegal farming used to be
carried out.
Meanwhile, Cameron Highlands member of parliament Datuk Seri G. Palanivel, who was at the scene, extended his condolences to
the family and said he would help it.
Meanwhile, an Indonesian national is feared buried alive following a landslide which hit his kongsi house in Kampung Raja here yesterday afternoon.
The man, known only as Zainullah, was believed to have been buried under 2m of rubble in the 5.30pm incident.
Yusry said a search operation began as soon as they received a distress call at 6.02pm.
“Based on the information we received, it showed that there is only an Indonesian man trapped underneath.
“We are still trying to get to the victim,” he said.