All 30 film crew members trapped in Gua Tempurung rescued

All 30 international film company crew members trapped in Gua Tempurung in Gopeng, near Ipoh in Perak, have been rescued.

Perak police chief Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the Kampar police headquarters received information at 4.10pm yesterday about civilians being trapped inside Gua Tempurung due to rising water levels.

“Teams from the Gopeng and Kota Bharu police stations were dispatched to the location.

“Based on initial investigations, the incident happened due to continuous heavy rain since 4pm. The victims became trapped after the water level rose suddenly in the cave.

“The water was about 1.5 metres deep. All the victims were crew members of an international film company from Singapore working on a film,” Mohd Yusri said in a statement last night.

The total number of crew involved was 80 people and the 30 who were trapped included locals and Singaporeans.

Mohd Yusri said members of the Fire and Rescue Department and the police launched a joint rescue effort and as a result, all those who were trapped were rescued and taken out of the area, with no injuries reported.

One of the trapped crew members, Muhd Aidilfitri Ilias, 20, who has been working with the film company for two months, said they entered the cave at 8am yesterday and, at about 4pm, the water level rose suddenly up to their waist level.

“The situation was chaotic and everyone panicked as we were trapped for two hours. I managed to contact the crew outside the cave to inform them of our situation so that they could call the Fire and Rescue Department.

“I was traumatised and afraid when it happened and I was only thinking of saving myself and our equipment,” Muhd Aidilfitri told reporters when met at the scene.

Another film crew member, Mohd Fitri Shah Abdullah, 25, said he was just thankful they managed to escape unscathed.

“We couldn’t contact anyone due to the limited communication network and we could only communicate with our other crew members using a walkie-talkie,” Mohd Fitri said.

- Bernama

Flood preparations in limbo in Klang after Parliament was dissolved

MCA's Saw hits out at Penang govt over flood management

Sabah floods: 43 in Penampang evacuated, situation improving in KK

Minister open to engaging KL-ites at flood mitigation town hall