Landslide kills two in Kedah State, Malaysia.

Two men have died after being buried by a landslide near to Gunung Jerai (Mount Jerau) in Kedah State, Malaysia, on Sunday 22 March 2020. The men, identified as Roslan Saidin 52, and Mohd Noor Shaari, 68, were reportedly digging into a cliff face exposed by a construction site, when part of the hill above collapsed onto them at about 6.00 pm local time; their bodies were recovered the next time by a team comprising over 50 Human rescue workers and 8 Dogs.

A rescue team recovering the body of one of two men buried by a landslide in Kedah State, Malaysia, on Sunday 22 March 2020. Bernama.

It has been widely reported in the local media that the two men were digging for gold at the time of the incident. However, this seems unlikely as the area is not noted for gold production, with the nearest gold mining occurring in northern Kelantan on the opposite coast of Peninsula Malaysia. It is possible that the men were trying to extract less high value, but more practical, substances, such as clay for brickmaking or sand or gravel for use in the construction industry.

Salangathelphusa peractio: A new species of Freshwater Crab from Langkawi Island, Malaysia.

Crabs are Decapod Crustaceans related to Shrimps, Crayfish and Lobsters. Most Crabs occupy marine environments; however Freshwater and Land Crabs are widespread in the tropics, particularly in Southeast Asia, where they are particularly diverse and where several new species are discovered every year. Members of the family Gecarcinucidae are obligate Freshwater Crabs found found from India and Sri Lanka east across Southeast Asia and Indonesia as far as Australia.

In a paper published in the journal ZooKeys on 23 October 2017, Peter Ng of the Lee KongChian Natural History Museum at the National University of Singapore, describes a new species of Gecarcinucid Freshwater Crab from Langkawi Island. off the northwest coast of Peninsula Malaysia.

The new species is placed in the genus Salangathelphusa, and given the specific name peractio, meaning 'end of the story', in reference to the fact that Peter Ng has carried out fieldwork on Langkawi Island for 30 years, was somewhat surprised to find a new species on such a small and heavily surveyed island, and does not expect to describe any more species from the island. These are small, squarish, orange-brown Crabs. The males are larger than the females, reaching slightly over 25 mm, compared to about 15 mm. The species was found in fast-flowing, rocky, streams at the southern base of Gunung Raya, the highest peak on the island (881 m). 

 Salangathelphusa peractio, male (22.4 × 17.7 mm). Ng (2017).

All of the observed Crabs were living within an area of a few hundred square metres, within Lubuk Semilang Park, though this area is covered with dense vegetation, and similar environments nearby are very hard to access. The Lubuk Semilang Park is dedicated to recreation, rather than conservation, and is open to a range of activities which might be harmful to the Crabs, as such Ng considers the species should be considered vulnerable until further information is available.

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