The effects of the 5.9 magnitude earthquake at Mount Kinabalu last Friday and its aftershocks will linger for a while.
That the ground actually shook on this mountain was unprecedented given that it is not within a known earthquake zone.
At the time the earthquake struck, 277 people, including 187 climbers, were on the mountain. The tragedy claimed 18 lives, including seven very young children, six aged 12 and one, 13.
We cannot even imagine the tears that will be shed for these precious lives, and the impact on their loved ones and beyond. And so too for the other victims.
And we now also know more about the legacy of the brave mountain guides who lost their lives there.
Amid the tragedy, remarkable tales have emerged of the heroic actions of the other mountain guides as they valiantly helped to get the survivors to safety.
In any natural disaster, prompt action is the key in any search and rescue operation.
In this context, the people already at the scene, which included experienced mountain guides, rose to the occasion. We salute them.
At the same time, doubts have been cast as to how effective the official rescue efforts were, and whether they acted fast enough.
But we have to be careful not to rush into judgment.
For the victims, the sight of a helicopter hovering above may mean that it will surely be able to land and airlift them to safety.
But the view from the top looking down has a different perspective. An immediate landing may not be advisable, and the rescuers may opt to drop supplies first to help the victims survive the night.
The fact that the police and army helicopters went in, solely dependent on the ability of the pilots to land in difficult terrain amid tough weather conditions, is a heroic mission in itself.
And for the rescue team heading upward, we must also be aware that they have to coordinate their efforts, and a fair amount of acclimatization is required for them to be effective rescuers in the thin air environment.
Under these circumstances, the mountain guides rightfully took the initiative to bring the victims down to safety.
The mountain is like home to them. They knew the terrain well and they were able to forge new trails to safety.
We salute them for their efforts and their bravery.
At the same time, let us not belittle the efforts of the full rescue operation simply because we see things only from a particular angle.
If there are weaknesses or limitations that we can identify in the way we carry out high-altitude rescue missions, let us work on them.
The earthquake on Mount Kinabalu has shown us that we must always be prepared ― even for the unexpected.
Editorial Desk, The Star (Asia News Network)
