Second Malaysian reported killed in Lombok quake

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Suminggah said he had been informed that the body of the second Malaysian to have died is wedged between rocks and can only be removed on Monday. – Bernama photo

JAKARTA: A second Malaysian is reported to have been killed in the quake-triggered landslide in Lombok, Indonesia, which claimed the life of a Malaysian journalist.

Indonesia’s Antara news agency reported that rescuers found the body of the victim wedged between the rock debris of the landslide at the Tiu Kelep waterfall.

The journalist has been identified as Datin Tai Siew Kim, 56, deputy executive chief editor of Sin Chew Daily, who was on holiday there with several other Malaysians, according to the head of public relations at the National Board for Disaster Management, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

Antara quoted the public relations officer of the Mataram Search and Rescue Operation, Gusti Lanang Wisnuwandana, as saying that the body of the second Malaysian could not be removed from the debris.

“The body of one more person has been found, wedged between large rocks, in the vicinity of the Tiu Kelep waterfall. The identity has yet to be ascertained,” he said.

A spokesman of the Malaysian Embassy here, when contacted, confirmed the matter but said he did not have the details.

According to the latest information, two Malaysians and an Indonesian were killed in the earthquake that also injured scores of people and destroyed almost 500 homes.

A 5.8-magnitude quake rocked Lombok Island at 2.07 pm (3.07 pm Malaysian Time) Sunday and an aftershock of 5.2 magnitude followed two minutes later.

A tour agent identifying himself as Pak Suminggah said a group of 28 Malaysian tourists had arrived in Lombok on March 14 for a holiday and were scheduled to return on Monday night.

Twenty-two of the tourists had gone to the waterfall today while the six others remained at their hotel in Mataram.

He also said that six of the 22 tourists were injured and have been brought to a health centre for treatment.

Suminggah said he had been informed that the body of the second Malaysian to have died is wedged between rocks and can only be removed on Monday.

“We have not received any information on the identity of the person. We have had to bear with communication constraints and various other problems,” he said. – Bernama