GEORGE TOWN: Residents of six houses in Taman Seri Rambai, Paya Terubong, have been ordered to evacuate following a landslide that killed a 73-year-old doctor.
Stop-work orders were also issued for a housing development and slope stabilisation works behind the affected row of houses pending safety inspections.
Northeast district officer Ismasuhaimi Shariff said soil movement was still being detected even in the absence of rain, raising fears of further collapse, particularly during heavy rainfall.
Preliminary investigations found that a leaking water channel and a clogged drain had caused water to flow into the affected house, contributing to the soil movement, he said.
He added that a crane and a large concrete block at the construction site also posed risks and could fall if the ground shifted further.
It was reported that the development comprises 1,670 affordable housing units in two blocks, an eight-storey underground car park and other facilities.
Slope stabilisation works are underway, with part of the hillside reinforced by a retaining wall.
“We have stopped work in the area because of the risks,” he said at the site, adding that mitigation measures included covering the exposed slope with plastic sheets to reduce water penetration during heavy rain.
Ismasuhaimi said the hall of the Paya Terubong Village Community Management Council had been activated as a temporary relief centre for affected families.
The arrangement would remain in place for several days pending geotechnical reports from the Minerals and Geoscience Department and the Public Works Department (JKR), he said.
He said the authorities were expected to receive the technical findings within three days to determine whether residents could safely return to their homes.
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said the development, which involves road construction and apartment blocks, had been ongoing for more than a year.
He said a stop-work order had been issued and the project’s consultants would be responsible for conducting the necessary technical assessments.
Penang infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said slope stabilisation works were underway, but the section where work was still in progress gave way during the landslide.
He said the priority was to ensure the safety of residents living near the slope while investigations into the cause continued.
He urged Penangites to remain alert for flash floods and landslides as persistent rain and high tides increased the risk of flooding and slope failures.
“The Malaysian Meteorological Department had forecast rain from Saturday until Monday (today),” Zairil said.
“Slopes are particularly vulnerable after prolonged heavy rain as the soil can loosen, increasing the risk of landslides.
“The MBPP and the JKR have also been instructed to monitor the situation.”
Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman said residents and non-governmental organisations had warned that major works in environmentally sensitive areas posed significant risks to nearby residents and the public.
“The state government must explain how this tragedy happened and why such a landslide was not prevented.
“Was there any monitoring of the slopes? Why were there insufficient mitigation measures?” she said in a statement.
