The Star, Malaysia : Cameron Highlands landslide: Earth movement likely cause

Thursday February 26, 2004

Cameron Highlands landslide: Earth movement likely cause

BY ELAN PERUMAL AND KULDEEP S. JESSY

KLANG: Earth movements as a result of water retention have been identified as the probable cause of the landslide in Cameron Highlands.

Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said water retention had occurred at the top of the slope along the ongoing road-widening project between Ringlet and Brinchang.

“Initial investigations indicate that this is the cause but the actual cause can only be confirmed when the investigations are completed,” he told reporters at a function here to honour 126 top UPSR students from Tamil schools.

Samy Vellu said the site would be cleared within the next six days and the road re-opened.

Asked if the stretch would be safe when road-widening works were completed, he said: “Nothing is safe in this world and I cannot give you a guarantee on that.”

The landslide near Habu at the 52nd kilometre of the Tapah-Ringlet road occurred early Tuesday morning.

Cameron Highlands OCPD Deputy Supt Rooslan Radzi said a search-and-rescue team from the Fire Services and Rescue Department in Ulu Klang, comprising a dog unit and a search team, could not detect any movement or smell of humans under the soil and debris.

The soil that covered the road, he added, had also been cleared but no vehicles were found.

“So, up to this point, we believe there are no casualties. We believe that no one was passing that stretch at the time of the landslide, which occurred at 3am,” he said, adding that the search was called off at 7pm on Tuesday.

DSP Rooslan said the 50m stretch of road covered by the landslide – which is on the stretch linking Ringlet to Tanah Rata – had been cleared but it was still dangerous for motorists as the hill slope was not stable.

DSP Rooslan said about 50 men from various agencies, including 10 police personnel, were involved in the clearing works. They are also monitoring the situation round the clock.A group of teachers from SMK Ringlet in Habu, seen walking through a vegetable farm to get round the landslide area, called on the authorities to open the 50m stretch of road for an hour in the morning and afternoon each day to allow them to travel between their homes in Tanah Rata and the school.

At present, they have to park their cars some 500m from the landslide area and walk 2km to reach the school.

“It is quite tiring. The farmers are also not very happy that we are walking through their farm,” said Narjit Singh, 41.

However, DSP Rooslan said opening the road for even five minutes would not be possible as the hill slope was unstable.

Tang Sai Kong, 36, who owns a flower farm in Ringlet also hoped the road would be re-opened soon.

“Most farmers here need to go to Tanah Rata and Brinchang daily to buy necessities for their farms,” he said.

In a statement, the Consumers Association of Penang said proactive measures should be taken to prevent further damage to highland areas.

Its president S.M. Mohamed Idris urged the authorities to assess completed road projects on highlands and check all ongoing ones to ensure that they complied with regulations.

“The authorities should suspend all other projects on highlands, including those pending approval, to prevent erosion in the highlands from worsening,” he added.

Regional Environment Awareness Cameron Highlands (REACH) called for an immediate investigation into the cause of the landslide.

“The Tuesday incident served as an early warning that the highland environment is 'fighting back' and there could be more such incidents,” REACH president R. Ramakrishnan said in a statement.