A resident checking out the landslide caused by the collapse of the retaining wall on Jalan Sepadu 7.
MONITORING and clean-up efforts are underway following the collapse of a retaining wall in Taman United, Kuala Lumpur, on Monday.
Officers from Selangor and Federal Territories Minerals and Geosciences Department (JMG) were also at the Taman United flats to inspect and monitor the affected slope.
Contractors appointed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) have begun installing tarpaulin sheets over the exposed slope and clearing fallen trees.
Following the Nov 24 incident, residents from 104 units in Block C were instructed to evacuate as a safety precaution.
Despite this, several residents returned to their units yesterday to check on their belongings and assess the condition of their homes.
Packiam Albram, 70, whose house faces the retaining wall on Jalan Sepadu 7, said she had returned to retrieve some belongings and medication.
“The loud noise when the wall gave way shocked me and I scrambled to see what happened. I then immediately left my unit.
“Most people have shifted out, but some went back to stay in their units,” she said when met at the flats yesterday.
Packiam, who has lived here for 55 years, said residents had complained to DBKL a year ago about a clogged drain beneath the retaining wall.
Several residents made a quick visit to their flats in Taman United yesterday to grab belongings. — Photos: AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
“Water would overflow from the drain during downpours.
“DBKL finally inspected the drain last Thursday, but the wall collapsed four days later.
“However, I do not know if the drain and the wall collapse are related,” she said.
Another flat resident, Foo Li Choo, 70, also returned early yesterday morning to check on her home.
“We consider ourselves lucky as the landslide happened in the morning, not when we were asleep.
“My house faces the main road at Jalan Sepadu 6 and was not affected by the muddy water,” she said.
Selangor and Federal Territories JMG director Rusli Mohamed said the wall collapse could be due to rainwater accumulation behind the wall.
“Accumulated water created significant pressure behind the wall, which may have caused it to fracture and collapse under the lateral stress.
“The retaining wall built on the lower section of the road is also not reinforced.
“Trees growing on the embankment also added extra load to the wall and their roots may have penetrated and clogged existing weep holes.
“It then traps the water inside, resulting in built-up hydrostatic pressure that grows stronger over time,” he said when met at the site.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said DBKL had opened a temporary evacuation centre (PPS) at the Sri Petaling Community Centre to house evacuated residents.
“Affected residents are urged to follow instructions from authorities for their own safety.
“Social Welfare Department has also stepped in to help.
“Experts, including JMG, will need to conduct extensive soil analysis and testing for one or two weeks to determine the next steps,” she said.
Kok added that she had been calling for DBKL to reduce the density of approved buildings, especially close to slope areas.
“The problem is no longer just traffic congestion; the real issue is unknown events that may occur beneath the surface,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department said it was ready to act in case of any emergencies.
Its deputy director of operations M. Fatta M. Amin Omar said the department was not placing teams on standby at specific flood hotspots, as all kinds of emergencies could occur without warning.
“It can be very unpredictable, so it is faster and more efficient for our personnel to respond directly from their respective stations.
“Floods are not the only situations we deal with.
“We also handle road accidents, fallen trees and landslides,’’ he told StarMetro.
“We can deploy our teams from any of the 20 stations in the city as we have more than 900 officers trained in basic rescue,” he said.
Fatta said there were 18 loudhailers installed at 18 flood hotspots near riverbanks in Kuala Lumpur which would go off the moment water levels started to rise.
“My advice to the public is that keep all your important items and documents in one place, stored in a sealed plastic bag.
“If you have to relocate fast, just grab the bag and go,” he added.
