Bkt Antarabangsa: Search on for Sri Lankan woman (Update)
By M. KUMAR
KUALA LUMPUR: Search and rescue resumed late last night at the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide site after police received reports that a Sri Lankan woman was missing, said Selangor Chief Police Officer Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar.
He said that the woman was believed to have been with veterinarian Dr N. Yogeswari who was among the four who died on Saturday when the landslide hit the homes of sleeping residents early in the morning.
He said that the woman in her 30s was Yogeswari's maid and had been with the family for six years.
DCP Khalid said on Monday that rescue teams were, therefore, concentrating the search at Yogeswari's bungalow at No. 1, Jalan Bukit Mewah, one of 14 bungalows in Taman Bukit Mewah and Taman Bukit Utama that were damaged by the landslide at 4am on Saturday.
He added that the search teams had to tread carefully as the ground was still not considered safe.
Meanwhile, about 2,000 residents of Bukit Antarabangsa were still trapped in their residential area as the main access road to the housing estates there remains cut off by the landslide.
Work to build an alternative route had been by the rain but was expected to be rady by Sunday evening, he said.
Meanwhile, Bernama reported that he had also asked the media to avoid interviewing the affected residents on the situation in the landslide area as there could be conflicting reports.
The media should report to the security authorities if they came across trapped people who had been overlooked so that immediate action could be taken to assist them, he said.
Despite the disaster and the rain this morning, Muslim residents in the area attended Aidil Adha prayers at the Addinniah surau located about 500 metres from the landslide area.
Muslims among the people trapped in their homes owing to the cutoff access road attended prayers at the AlHidayah Mosque.
The four people who died in the landslide are Dr Yogeswari, 40, accountant Eng Yee Peng, 30, Shaiful Khas Shahrudin, 20, and Indonesian national Surinah, 30s.
KUALA LUMPUR: Fear of a landslide has now spread to Cheras.
Residents of Taman Bukit Segar Jaya (TBSJ) Phase 1 are having sleepless nights over minor landslips in their area.
Their 171 houses are located close to a hillslope and there are approved plans to build bungalows and two blocks of high-rise apartments in their area.
Signs of trouble: Mimi Siak’s house that is closest to the hill has evidence of cracks on its walls and floors.
Since the residents moved in four years ago, there had been minor landslips on the hill. They did not think much about it until Saturday’s tragedy at Bukit Antarabangsa.
Some of the residents went up the hill to check for the first time yesterday. What they saw - pockets of landslips and a huge gaping hole on one part of the hill - shocked them.
They were also concerned about the choked drainage system on the hill leading to the monsoon drains.
Small landslips had also occurred on hillslopes in other nearby housing projects such as Moon Bayu and Cheras Hartamas.
TBSJ residents committee chairman Frank Yuen said the residents had never seen maintenance work being carried out on the hill.
A view of the hillside area near Taman Bukit Segar Jaya in Cheras with the effects of soil erosion clearly visible. Residents there are now having sleepless nights. — LOH LAY PHON and A . MALEX YAHAYA / The Star
The 45-year-old engineer said the committee had taken their concerns to the developer and Ampang Jaya Municipal Council several times since Sept 6 but no action had been taken.
Some residents have thought about moving out.
“My family have the most to fear as the hillside retention wall is only 10 feet away from my side wall,” said stockbroker Mimi Siak, 45.
She said the walls of her house showed signs of cracks a year after they moved in and feared that the soil had moved because she could not open the gate to her backyard and the kitchen tiles were giving way.
TBSJ residents committee adviser Michael Ho said in the light of the recent tragedy, both the developer and council should take their complaints seriously.
Hillside residents fear for their safety with continued rain
PETALING JAYA: Residents living near or on hillslopes are getting more anxious over their safety as rain continues to fall in the Klang Valley and other parts of the country.
The rain which triggered the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide in Ampang on Saturday has brought floods to parts of Johor, Malacca, Pahang and Terengganu.
Cracks have also appeared on a bridge across Sungai Buntong in Ipoh, Perak, which links Buntong to Jelapang, Falim and Lahat, following a downpour.
Other developments include:
> All 3,000 residents from the affected areas of Bukit Antarabangsa have been safely evacuated after the area was declared unsafe;
> The Drainage and Irrigation Department said there will be heavy showers until January and the annual average rainfall of 2,400mm will increase by about 10% to 15%;
> Some 14,300 Fire and Rescue Department personnel are on standby, and 432 boats and other equipment are ready to be utilised for floods and landslide emergencies; and
> More than 3,000 people from flood-hit areas in Johor, Malacca, Pahang and Terengganu have been moved to relief centres.
I remember how we would jump for joy when I was a kid-in KSA- whenever it rained, which was like 3 to 5 times a year...seems to be the opposite for these poor people.
I remember how we would jump for joy when I was a kid-in KSA- whenever it rained, which was like 3 to 5 times a year...seems to be the opposite for these poor people.
It's raining season for most parts of Malaysia (but it's clear here..in the northern region)
it's predicted that it'll be raining for the whole month.... so we would be expecting more floods and landslides...
I wonder why hilltop residences are still so much sought after? so sad for these people.
Yesterday the cows and sheep had to be slaughtered in driving rain here in Melaka, my little brothers and other kids really enjoyed it though to be sure.
I wonder why hilltop residences are still so much sought after? so sad for these people.
Yesterday the cows and sheep had to be slaughtered in driving rain here in Melaka, my little brothers and other kids really enjoyed it though to be sure.
maybe they want to have a very nice view of KL ... and only rich people live there....
Greedy Housing Developers + Corrupted Government Officials = Disasters for the public
alhamdulillah, it's not raining here...
Last edited by north_malaysian; 12-09-2008 at 04:42 AM.
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so sad for these people.
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