Malaysia landslide: Woman loses 4 family members; another searches for missing dog
Beh Su Lee could hardly walk and almost collapsed when she left the hospital's forensic unit, and had to be supported by family members in order to get to her car.
Students place flowers at the entrance of the SJK (C) Mun Choong School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Dec 18, 2022. Seven female teachers from the school were on an unofficial camping trip at an organic farm that was hit by a landslide. (Photo: AP/FL Wong)
SUNGAI BULOH: A woman who lost four family members in Friday's landslide in Batang Kali could not control her grief when she went to claim their bodies at Sungai Buloh Hospital (HSB).
Beh Su Lee could hardly walk and almost collapsed when she left the hospital's forensic unit, and had to be supported by family members in order to get to her car.
The 59-year-old was distraught as she revealed she lost her 35-year-old daughter, her 34-year-old son-in-law and two grandchildren, a boy and a girl aged six and one respectively, in the landslide that tore through the Father's Organic Farm camping site.
"Yesterday, I identified three bodies. Today, I identified another one," Beh said briefly to reporters on Sunday before leaving the hospital.
A few minutes before Beh left the hospital, two hearses, believed to be transporting the coffins of her family members, were seen leaving the premises.
Of the 94 people caught in the landslide, 24 people have been confirmed dead while nine others are still missing.
'MY DOG IS MY FAMILY TOO'
The tragedy has not only claimed human lives.
"I know that at this crucial time, when everyone is thinking that saving lives and looking for bodies, whether they're dead or alive, is more important, but my dog is my family too," said Toni Wong.
The 40-year-old is the owner of Sherlock, a grey Schnauzer mix with black spots. Her dog has been missing since Friday.
Speaking to Bernama, Wong said she and her friends, Katherine Poh, 36, and Eric Ng, 66, checked in at the camping site on Wednesday. The trio brought along their dogs, including Sherlock and two others named Benji and Bernice.
"It was all good and lovely time we had together on our very first camping trip there until the terrifying incident happened on Friday," Wong said.
"When it happened, I was submerged. Luckily, our neighbouring campers came to help and pulled us out. I was very thankful and grateful to them that we eventually managed to escape the destroyed tent."
SECOND LANDSLIDE
Wong, who claimed that Ng was still missing, added that the three dogs, were safe by her side and Poh while they were rushing to a presumably safer spot by the waterfall side.
"We were together with our neighbouring campers, a whole big family that happened to have a child with them too. But, as we were grouping there, we heard a very loud sound, and that was the time when we knew, the second landslide was happening," she said.
"Exhausted, we ran further, frightened. Katherine was carrying Benji, and it was the last time Bernice was caught in our vision; she escaped. And my Sherlock was nowhere to be found either. By the time we stopped running as the second landslide was believed to have stopped, we couldn't find the two dogs anymore."
Wong and Poh said they shouted and screamed for Sherlock and Bernice, a whitish, creamy poodle mix, but was unable to find them amid the chaotic scenes.
'WE MISS THEM A LOT'
"Then, a guy told us we have to keep moving as more landslides were expected to happen. Eventually, we met the rescue team, and we were led to a safer spot," Wong said.
"As for the dogs, we miss them a lot. We want to bring them home. They are equally important to us. They are family, and I have the responsibility to bring them home. I have the responsibility to care for them."
Wong hopes the search and rescue team can find Sherlock and Bernice as operations continue to locate the nine missing victims of the tragedy.
Meanwhile, Wong and Poh have appealed for help online, posting pictures of their pets.
"I hope the authorities or anyone else can help us find a solution to bring our dogs back home. I know it's impossible to access the site at this moment. But, if someone can tell us what is the best way, we surely will attend to it," Wong said.
