Five people have died and three remain missing after a sudden surge of water swept eight people away at Sungai Pertak in Hulu Selangor, Malaysia, on Monday evening, 9 November 2026. Rescue teams are continuing to search the river for the three people still unaccounted for.

The surge, known locally as a kepala air, struck at about 5.30pm at Lata Jebus, near the Sungai Pertak waterfall in Kampung Pertak, Kuala Kubu Bharu. The eight people swept away were one Yemeni national, one Malaysian, one Sri Lankan, one Nepalese national and four Indian nationals, according to the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department.

Thirty-four people caught up in the surge

In total, 34 people in separate groups were caught up in the incident. The fire department said 19 people who had been stranded at three locations, Lata Jerlus, Kem Luit and Gunung Rajah, were brought down to safety by 12.16am on Tuesday, while seven others were reported safe. A distress call was received at about 5.55pm, and a team from the Kuala Kubu Bharu fire station reached the scene at about 6.30pm.

The first victim, a 36-year-old Malaysian man identified as V. Vijayan, was found dead near Pertak Bridge at about 1.30am on Tuesday, about 2.7 kilometres downstream from Lata Jebus, where he had been swept away. Four more bodies were found on Tuesday morning at about 10.12am near the Senget Bridge and a suspension bridge, about one kilometre from Lata Jebus, bringing the confirmed death toll to five.

Two of the four victims found on Tuesday morning have been identified as Kapali, 49, from Nepal, and B. Kunjunmaiayil, 35, from India. The bodies were taken to Sungai Buloh Hospital for post-mortem examinations. The identities of the remaining victims had not been confirmed at the time of the latest update.

Search widened to the dam

The search and rescue operation has been extended to the Sungai Selangor Dam, about three kilometres from the scene, with efforts concentrated along Sungai Luit from Lata Jebus towards the dam. Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Ashrul Riezal Asbar said the search area had been expanded to cover that three-kilometre stretch.

Tuesday's operation involved 45 fire and rescue personnel, 25 members of the Civil Defence Force, three police officers and five members of the Batang Kali Volunteer Fire Brigade. Three personnel each from the Hulu Selangor Land Office and the Hulu Selangor Municipal Council took part, along with two mountain guides.

Survivors describe a sudden surge

Survivors said there was little warning before the water rose. Vijayan's relative, B. Partiban, 27, said he arrived at the waterfall after Vijayan, who had gone there with a group of foreign friends. He said the water suddenly surged at about 5.30pm, carrying logs and debris, and was flowing so fast that those on the bank could only stand and watch. Partiban and three friends managed to reach safety before the water level rose sharply, but they did not realise Vijayan had been swept away.

Another survivor, Muhammad, 19, a Yemeni student, said there were no signs of danger when he and five friends arrived at the river, but a sudden surge swept away three of his friends near the riverbank, leaving one still missing.

A kepala air can strike with little warning when heavy rain upstream sends a sudden rush of water down a river, and the Sungai Pertak area is a popular picnic and waterfall spot. The authorities have not yet given an official cause for this surge beyond the reported severe weather, and the search for the three missing people continues.

Frequently asked questions

What happened at Sungai Pertak? A sudden water surge, known as a kepala air, swept eight people away at Lata Jebus near the Sungai Pertak waterfall in Hulu Selangor on the evening of Monday, 9 November 2026.

How many people died in the Sungai Pertak water surge? Five bodies had been found by Tuesday, 10 November, and three people remained missing. The toll may change as the search continues.

Where is Sungai Pertak? Sungai Pertak is a river and waterfall picnic area at Kampung Pertak, Kuala Kubu Bharu, in the Hulu Selangor district of Selangor, Malaysia.

Sources: Media Selangor; Scoop.