MORE than 30 people remain stranded on Penang Hill after the floods over the weekend inundated large parts of the state and cut off access to the popular hiking and recreational area.

Police said operations were ongoing to rescue the victims, who included 20 men, 10 senior citizens and two children.

Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Anuar Omar said rescuers from the Fire and Rescue Department, army, police and Civil Defence Force had trouble reaching the victims because of landslides on the hill.

“The police and all the other agencies are trying to reach the people and get them down by foot. All access (to the hill) by vehicle is very difficult because of the landslides.

“The military is monitoring by helicopter to assist if the mission to bring the people down (on foot) fails,” he told reporters via a WhatsApp message this morning.

The Penang Hill funicular train service has been suspended since Sunday until further notice.

It was reported that the railway track of the popular tourist attraction was covered with mud and debris, and one of the trains’ windshield was smashed by a fallen tree branch. – November 7, 2017.