MBPP mengeluarkan arahan henti kerja serta-merta bagi projek pembinaan kondominium dan jalan berhampiran lokasi tanah runtuh di Paya Terubong.
GEORGE TOWN: Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang (MBPP) mengeluarkan arahan henti kerja serta-merta bagi projek pembinaan kondominium dan pembinaan jalan di kawasan cerun berhampiran lokasi kejadian tanah runtuh di Taman Seri Rambai, Paya Terubong di sini hari ini.
Datuk Bandar MBPP Datuk A. Rajendran berkata arahan dikeluarkan bagi membolehkan siasatan lanjut dijalankan berhubung kejadian itu, yang turut mengorbankan seorang lelaki.
“Projek pembinaan jalan dan kondominium itu sudah dilaksanakan lebih setahun selain kerja penstabilan cerun turut dilakukan di kawasan berkenaan.
“Setakat ini, kita mencadangkan penghuni di enam rumah yang dikenal pasti kurang selamat supaya berpindah sementara bagi mengelakkan kejadian tidak diingini,” katanya di lokasi kejadian hari ini.
Dalam kejadian pada 8.36 pagi tadi, seorang doktor Wong Kar Lin, 73, maut selepas tertimbus akibat tanah runtuh yang menjejaskan rumahnya manakala isterinya Chang Mei Nuo, 68, dan ibu mertuanya Wong Poh Lim, 80-an berjaya menyelamatkan diri.
Sementara itu, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Infrastruktur, Pengangkutan dan Digital negeri Zairil Khir Johari berkata kerja penstabilan cerun sedang dilaksanakan di kawasan tersebut, namun sebahagian daripadanya belum selesai.
“Bahagian yang belum siap itu yang mengalami tanah runtuh dan siasatan lanjut akan dijalankan sebelum maklumat lebih terperinci dapat diberikan,” katanya.
Beliau berkata keutamaan ketika ini adalah memastikan keselamatan penduduk di kawasan berhampiran.
Meanwhile, Northeast District Officer Isma Suhaimi Shariff said inspections found that ground movement was still occurring at the landslide site, even in the absence of rain.
“Preliminary findings indicate that a leaking water pipe on the slope and clogged drains may have caused water to accumulate and flow into the affected house, contributing to the ground movement.
“The authorities are also concerned about the position of a crane and large concrete blocks at the site, which could fall if further ground movement occurs. As a result, work near the affected area has been halted due to safety risks,” he said.
He said short-term mitigation measures would include covering the exposed slope with plastic sheeting to reduce water infiltration during heavy rain, while six houses involving about 15 people from five families in the area had been ordered to evacuate immediately.
He said the Paya Terubong Village Community Management Council (MPKK) hall had been activated as a temporary evacuation centre for residents forced to leave their homes pending further inspections of the site.
“The evacuation order is expected to remain in force for five days while the authorities await technical assessments by MBPP, the Department of Minerals and Geoscience, and the Public Works Department (JKR), which will conduct inspections and studies at the site,” he said.
Isma Suhaimi said alternative accommodation might be considered if the houses were deemed unsafe for occupation. He added that the incident had been classified as an accident rather than a disaster.