By T.N. Alagesh

KUALA LIPIS: About 600 passengers on an east coast-bound train to Tumpat had a narrow escape when the locomotive and three carriages were derailed by a landslide yesterday.

The landslide is believed to have occurred following heavy rain over the last three days.

In the 4.30am incident, which took place at Km208 of the Krambit-Kuala Lipis railway track, the Express Wau train driver suffered minor bruises on the head while the train passengers escaped unharmed.

District police chief Supt Abdul Razak Hassan said the landslide occurred near a hilly slope.

All the passengers were later taken to the Kuala Lipis railway station by buses where they continued their journey by another train to Tumpat.

A spokesman of Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad said the train jumped the tracks while negotiating a corner in a forested area.

Clean-up and rectification works at the site is expected to be completed by 2pm today.

Following the landslide, several east-coast train services were cancelled, including the Express Wau passenger trains from Tumpat to Kuala Lumpur and Gua Musang to Tumpat.

Meanwhile, passengers boarding the Ekspress Lambaian Timur (Singapore-Gua Musang express) had to take a bus from the Jerantut railway station to Kuala Lipis station before continuing their journey to Gua Musang by train.

Those taking the Gua Musang-Singapore bound train had to get down at the Kuala Lipis railway station to board buses to the Jerantut station and continue their journey by train to Singapore.

Those on the Gemas-Gua Musang train had to get down at the Jerantut station to go by bus to Kuala Lipis station.

For further information on arrangements, call the KTMB call centre at 03-33671209. -The New Straits Times/Asia News Network