GEORGE TOWN: It was supposed to be just another work day for workers at a construction site in Lengkok Lembah Permai, Tanjung Bungah here today.
Little did they know that a landslide would strike their work site, burying with it 14 workers including a Malaysian.
Just before the search and rescue (SAR) operation was called off at 7.40pm, authorities announced that only three of the 14 had been accounted for.
They included two Bangladeshis identified as Hossain and Yunus, and a Myanmar worker known as Mamun.
Hossain’s remains were recovered at 9.55am, Yunus at 10.43am and Mamun at 1.25pm.
The others still missing are a Pakistani, two Indonesians and seven Bangladeshis.
The incident happened at 8.50am as the victims were at the basement of an affordable housing project of a 50-storey building.
State Fire and Rescue Department director Saadon Mokhtar said the area affected by the landslide measured 1.48ha and 35m high.
He said 160 personnel from various agencies, including police and Civil Defence Department, were deployed for the SAR.
"We also use four dogs from the K-9 unit to search for the remaining 11 victims.
"We have dug 30 per cent of the affected area and I believe we are getting close to the victims," he told newsmen.
Department’s assistant director-general (operation and Rescue) Edwin Galan Teruki said the area was still unstable and had been cordoned off.
He said the department's STORM unit nationwide had been put on standby and would be deployed if needed.
Meanwhile, northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Anuar Omar said the SAR would resume at 8am tomorrow.
He said policemen would monitor the affected area round-the-clock.
"We advise the public to stay away from the scene for their own safety," he said.
Earlier, state police chief Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye said 19 General Operations Force personnel were deployed to cordon off the area, including the hillslope, to ensure no illegal structures were near the landslide area.
Meanwhile, rescuers believed that they were closing in on some of the 11 victims when a safety helmet was recovered this evening.
Edwin said the K-9 unit had shown a particular interest at the spot where the safety helmet was found.
“We believe some of the victims may be there. However, we have yet to find any body.
“Our search will focus in that particular area tomorrow,” he said.