A split second, a lifetime of loss: Family recalls fatal Paya Terubong landslide

In the early hours of October 25, a devastating landslide struck a family's home in Taman Seri Rambai, Paya Terubong, claiming the life of 73-year-old doctor Wong Kar Lin. The incident occurred around 8:36am, trapping the victim beneath collapsing concrete in the kitchen. Wong's wife, 68-year-old Chang Mei Nuo, recounted the harrowing moments to Berita Harian (BH), revealing that they were startled by the landslide while Chang was in the shower.

Within seconds, they fled the scene, only to find Wong pinned under the debris upon their return to the ground floor. Wong's mother-in-law, 80-year-old Wong Poh Lim, had been taking a shower in the upstairs bathroom when she was alerted to the disaster by her daughter. Poh Lim emphasized the suddenness of the tragedy, which left the couple's four children unharmed but devastated.

Despite her own emotional turmoil, Poh Lim expressed relief that rescuers managed to recover Wong's body intact nearly three hours after the landslide hit. Wong was described by his wife as a devoted son-in-law, and their 30-year marriage under the same roof was particularly mourned.