ID :
34713
Wed, 12/10/2008 - 08:35
Auther :

NO SIGNS OF SRI LANKAN MAID, BUKIT ANTARABANGSA SAR OPERATION CONTINUES

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- The search-and-rescue (SAR) operation to
find a missing Sri Lankan maid at the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide area
continues until 11.30pm Monday night.

SAR team members dug into the rubbles since Sunday night and throughout the
day Monday amid intermittent rain but found no signs of the missing Sri Lankan
maid of veterinary doctor N. Yogeswari who was killed in the incident.

The operation had been called off earlier Sunday after four bodies were
found but was resumed later at around 9.30pm when rescuers received reports
about the missing maid.

"We are maintaining the same number of rescuers although Monday is
Aidiladha," Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters at the scene.

Some 500 personnel from the police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil
Defence Department and the Malaysian armed forces were at the scene for the SAR
operation as well as to clean up the rubble.

"We haven't found anything but we will continue the search," said Khalid.

Meanwhile, a stretch of 250m of access route had been opened to facilitate
the movements of residents in and out of Bukit Antarabangsa.

The landslide had cut off the main road in the area, trapping thousands of
residents from several housing areas.

Khalid said the track, which is passable to vehicles, was opened from
7.30pm.

He added that traffic police would coordinate the movements of residents as
the narrow route could only accomodate a one-way traffic at a time.

Meanwhile, Tenaga Nasional Bhd restored power to some 1,500 homes in the
affected areas including in Taman Puncak Bukit Utama, Taman Bukit Jaya, Casa
Desol Condo, Jalan Bukit Utama, Southern Heights, Kyoto Garden, Kyoto Garden
club, Taman Bukit Utama and Oakleaf condominium.

Amid the disaster and persistent rain, Muslim residents celebrated the
Aidiladha by performing the prayers at the Addinniah surau some 500 metres from
the scene while those trapped in Bukit Antarabangsa performed theirs at the
Al-Hidayah mosque.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is the largest electricity utility company in
Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA

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