30 People Rescued After Being Trapped in Malaysian Cave

30 People Rescued After Being Trapped in Malaysian Cave
The entrance of Tempurung Cave in Perak state, about 200 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Dec. 24, 2020. AP Photo
The Associated Press
Updated:

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—About 30 members of a film crew who were trapped in a limestone cave in northern Malaysia during heavy rain Wednesday have been rescued, police said.

Perak police chief Mohamad Yusri Hassan Basri was quoted by the Utusan Malaysia newspaper as saying that the people were trapped when water level near the cave’s exit rose to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) due to heavy rains.

He said those trapped were members of a film crew from a Singaporean production company who were shooting at the location. He said there were a total of 80 crew members but most managed to escape except for 30 people, including local people and Singaporeans.

“All the trapped crew were rescued and taken out of the area” two hours after authorities were notified, he was quoted as saying. He said no injuries were reported.

Tempurung Cave, a spectacular network of chambers more than three kilometers (1.8 miles) long, is believed to be the longest and largest limestone cave in peninsular Malaysia. It is a popular tourist attraction, with sections developed with walkways and lighting.