KUALA LIPIS: Two sisters are feared drowned after they were swept away by strong currents while playing in Sungai Jelai at Kampung Tanjung Gahai, near here, today.
Siti Nur Hidayah Mohd Rosli, 19, and Siti Suhaida, 15, were playing with their three other siblings at the river at about 6pm today, when they went missing.
District police chief Superintendent Azli Mohd Noor said villagers alerted the Sungai Koyan police station before a search and rescue (SAR) operation was launched to locate the girls.
He said investigations revealed the two, along with their siblings had gone to the river near the Kampung Tanjung Gahai recreational park.
"They were playing at the shallow section of the river before moving towards the middle. Suddenly, they were swept away by strong currents and disappeared.
"The others immediately alerted some villagers who tried searching for the duo, before informing the police," he said, adding the two victims were from the Gahai Agropolitan Housing project nearby.
Azli said policemen, firemen, Civil Defence Force members along with 20 villagers were involved in the SAR operations.
He said since the area was getting dark, SAR operations was halted at 7pm and would resume tomorrow morning.