Three Killed In Cameron Highlands Dam Disaster Flash Flood

The body of the woman who was swept off by strong current during the flash flood when the Sungai Bertam overflowed following the release of water from the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam, Ringlet, Cameron Highlands on Oct 23, was found this afternoon.

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The body of the Indonesian woman, identified as Jawarti, 17, was found in a heap of timber and debris about 2km from the spot where she was reported missing.
(There are differing reports on the victim's age)

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According to Cameron Highlands OCPD, DSP Mohd Zahari Wan Busu, the body was found at 12.30pm today, almost one week after Jawarti went missing in the incident.

“The body was found by one of the plantation owners in the area beside the Sungai Bertam, and had been sent to Hospital Sultanah Hajah Kalsom, here for a post-mortem,” he told Bernama, here.

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The search for the missing mud flood victim at Bertam Valley here continued at 8.30am Thursday.

Cameron Highland OCPD Deputy Supt Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said 328 rescue operation personnel have been mobilised to locate 24-year-old Jarwati, who is feared dead after being swept away by the mud flood that had already claimed three lives in the 1am incident on Wednesday.

The rescue team consisting of Fire and Rescue Department, army, Civil Defence Department are searching a 2km radius from the scene where Jawarti was last seen.

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"We will continue our search from where she was believed to have been swept away in Bertam Valley near the multipurpose hall.

"We will widen our searches to about 7 to 8km downstream," he told journalists here.

BAKARUDIN Makmun, 28, is hoping for a miracle that his wife will be found.
His wife, Jawarti, 17, from East Java, is still missing after their house was swept away in a mud flood which hit Bertam Valley here yesterday.

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Recalling his ordeal, Bakarudin, from West Java, said he was sleeping with his wife in the living room while his parents were in the bedroom when his house was hit by the rising flood water.

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"There was no way we could get out of the house. I tried to open the door, but failed to do so at first.
Bakarudin said he managed to grab a pipe about 100m away from the house and held on for dear life, but his wife was swept away.

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He said that when the water subsided, he walked back to find his house had been completely destroyed.

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Ragom Wasrip held his wife’s hand so tightly when mud and water gushed into their home in Bertam Valley here but he could not hang on to her.

The current pulled his wife Kesmat Iduan, 46, away from him and he lost sight of her from then on.

When we heard the sirens at about 1am, we frantically tried to find our way out. But we couldn’t move as water was gushing in too fast.

“When the water current pushed me right to the roof, I managed to get out but my wife got trapped inside the house,” he told reporters.

Kesmat’s body was found trapped in the house at 8.15am yesterday.

There was an uneasy calm, broken by the sound of more sirens, as Bertam Valley villagers attempted to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of the devastating flash floods.

Anxious villagers braced themselves for the possibility of more floods as policemen warned that more water could be released from the dam yesterday evening.

However, the warnings and sirens seemed to have been false alarms.

Residents attempted to salvage what they could from their homes before making their way to the evacuation centre at a school in Ringlet.

Damaged cars, towed from worst hit areas, were parked along the side of the roads outside the village.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has extended his condolences to the families of three victims who were killed in mud floods after water was released from the Ringlet dam, Cameron Highlands, early today.

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The prime minister in his Tweeter post hoped relevant authorities would give their best effort in the search and rescue operations to look for a missing person.

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Three people are believed to have died while three others are missing after the gates of the Cameron Highlands hydroelectric dam were opened today, flooding farms in Ringlet and surrounding areas.

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Three foreigners died when a mud flood occurred at Bertam Valley in Ringlet near here Wednesday.
The foreign workers have been identified as Md Jahangir Alam, in his 30s from Bangladesh, Kesmat, 46 from Indonesia.

Another deceased has been identified as Tan Tuck Choi, 51, who died on the way to the Sultanah Hajah Kalsom Hospital in Tanah Rata, due to a heart attack.

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Mohd Zahari said another victim reported missing and purportedly swept off by strong currents was identified as an Indonesian national, Jarwati, 17.

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Cameron Highlands police chief Deputy Superintendent Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said the search and rescue team was still looking for a 17-year-old Indonesian girl.

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Meanwhile, Ho Kin Way, 38, has been rushed to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital for treatment after he injured himself while making his escape.

He said the incident happened at 1am when water from the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam in Ringlet was released after it breached the danger level.

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Meanwhile, Pahang's Zone Three Fire and Rescue Department's Deputy Superintendent Yusmaizi Zulkifli said the normal water level at the dam was 3.498 metres. He said the water was released when its level touched 3.508 metres.

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"Pelepasan air empangan pertama dibuat pada 12 tengah malam diikuti pada jam 1 pagi dan seterusnya pada 2.45 pagi yang menyebabkan air di Sungai Bertam melimpah secara mendadak dan menyebabkan banjir kilat," katanya.

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Air terpaksa dilepaskan bagi mengelak empangan itu pecah berikutan hujan lebat yang berterusan sejak 7 petang semalam.

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Pihak Tenaga Nasional Berhad yang menjadi pemilik empangan hidroeletrik Sultan Abu Bakar itu membunyikan siren amaran pada jam 12 tengah malam tadi sebelum air berkenaan dilepaskan 20 minit kemudian.

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"As a result of that, the water overflowed into at least 80 houses, some 3km away from the dam.

Bercakap kepada Malaysiakini ketika dihubungi, beliau berkata seluruh kekuatan pasukannya seramai 28 orang ditugaskan untuk operasi mencari dan menyelamat.

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About 80 houses on the fringes of the Bertam River here were swept away by strong currents after the river suddenly overflowed today when water from the dam was released.

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"Some 10 kongsi houses located along the banks of Sungai Bertam were totally destroyed," he told reporters here. Also affected was SJK(C) Lembah Bertam, which was closed for the day.

Some 100 vehicles were also damaged in the incident.

Katanya lagi, seramai 20 keluarga di kawasan berkenaan telah dipindahkan ke Dewan Orang Ramai Ringlet.

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Teja assemblyperson Chang Lik Kang, who was at the scene, had posted about the incident on his Facebook page.

He said: “Sad day! Although it’s my birthday, but 3 deaths and one missing at Bertam Valley, Cameron Highland.

“Mud flood due to opening of TNB reservoirs’ flood gates. I am at the scene now, death toll might rise. The authority is still checking the cause of the incident.”

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