13 quake bodies found, search on for missing six
The search-and-rescue (SAR) team today found 11 more bodies at Mount Kinabalu following yesterday's earthquake that hit Ranau, bringing the number of fatalities to 13 so far.
Ranau district police chief, DSP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the two bodies brought down from the mountain last night were identified as a local mountain guide and a primary school student from Singapore.
"The SAR team is now looking for six more people still missing," he told reporters at the post-earthquake operations centre in Kinabalu Park, Kundasang, today.
He said two of the 11 bodies found today were flown down from the mountain using a helicopter, while another two were being brought down using the land route.
"Seven other bodies are still at Laban Rata and will be brought down anytime using a helicopter or carried down by the rescue team," he added.
Mohd Farhan said the helicopter was now trying to land at Laban Rata to bring down the seven bodies.
"If the weather is good, the bodies can be brought down fast using the helicopter, otherwise we will have to use the mountain trail," said the official.
He said the remains of foreign victims would be sent straight to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu, while those of the locals would be taken to Ranau Hospital.
Their identities would only be known after the victims' bodies were sent to the hospitals, he added.
10 primary students among the dead
Some 60 rescuers are searching for the six more reported missing in the mountain area.
The earthquake measuring 5.9 magnitude on the Richter scale, hit Ranau at 7.15am yesterday, with the tremors felt in several areas including Tambunan, Pedalaman, Tuaran, Kota Kinabalu, and Kota Belud.
The Star Online reported that among the dead are 10 students from Singapore’s Tanjong Katong Primary School.
Meanwhile, the state Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun ( photo ) announced that Monday has been declared as a ‘day of mourning’ in Sabah.
State and federal flags would be flown at half mast in memory of those who died, he posted on Twitter .
The minister earlier tweeted that the state government has cancelled the national Kaamatan celebration scheduled tomorrow in Ranau.
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