SMART TEAM GRAPPLES WITH SOFT SOIL, TWO BODIES FOUND

NURULHUDA CHE DAS

PADANG (WEST SUMATRA), Oct 6 (Bernama) -- The soft soil which makes
landslides a regular feature proved a hazard to search and rescue workers at
Kampung Lubuklaweh, Kecamatan Patamuan, Padang Pariaman.

The search and rescue team had difficulty removing the bodies buried about
30 metres under the rubble.

Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Smart) operation chief
Capt Mohd Halimi Taib said the road leading to the kampung also had cracks which
could cause landslides.

"We had to walk for one hour to get to the disaster area, not to mention the
three hour journey from Padang. We removed two bodies from under the rubble," he
told Bernama.

"The victims are two adults. The decomposed bodies were recovered together
with Indonesian resuce workers," he said.

The operation which began at 10am was stopped at 3pm due to heavy rainfall.

Nofaldi Adi, 29, said 25 villagers escaped the landslide which submerged the
whole kampung.

More than 100 villagers including his six family members were believed to
have ben buried in the earthquake.

"I leave their fate in the hands of god," he said at the site of his
foodstall which had collapsed.
-- BERNAMA