A 73-year-old doctor was killed after being buried beneath concrete debris when a landslide struck a two-storey semi-detached house in Taman Seri Rambai, Paya Terubong, Penang, on Sunday.
The victim, Wong Kar Lin, was pronounced dead by Health Ministry personnel at 9.10am before firefighters recovered his body at about 11.20am.
Penang Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director John Sagun Francis said the department received an emergency call at 8.36am and arrived at the scene two minutes later.
At the time of the incident, three occupants were in the kitchen area of the house, including the victim’s wife, Chang Mei Nuo, and his mother-in-law, Wong Poh Lim, who is in her 80s. Both women were on the upper floor.
The cause of the landslide remains under investigation, although authorities have not ruled out the possibility that it was linked to continuous heavy rain since Saturday night.
John said the persistent flow of water may have destabilised the soil before it shifted, triggering the landslide.
Firefighters were carrying out final inspection and clean-up work to ensure the surrounding area was safe.
“The victim’s body was intact when found, but the injuries were severe,” he said.
