The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has issued a stop-work order for a condominium and road project following a fatal landslide in Paya Terubong.
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has ordered an immediate halt to condominium construction and roadworks on a hillside near the site of a landslide that claimed a man’s life in Taman Seri Rambai, Paya Terubong, here today.
MBPP mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said the stop-work order was issued to facilitate further investigations into the incident.
“The road and condominium projects have been ongoing for more than a year, while slope stabilisation works are also being carried out in the area.
“So far, we have recommended that the occupants of six houses identified as potentially unsafe relocate temporarily to prevent any untoward incidents,” he told reporters at the scene today.
In the incident, which occurred at about 8.36 am, Wong Kar Lin, 73, a doctor, was found trapped after a landslide struck his house. Rescuers recovered his body at about 11.20 am.
The victim’s wife, Chang Mei Nuo, 68, and his mother-in-law, Wong Poh Lim, in her 80s, managed to escape shortly after the incident.
Meanwhile, State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said slope stabilisation works were being carried out in the area, but some sections had yet to be completed when the landslide occurred.
He said the immediate priority was to ensure the safety of nearby residents while allowing the relevant authorities to investigate the cause of the incident.
“Unfortunately, the section that had yet to be completed was the one affected by the landslide. Further investigations are ongoing before more detailed information can be provided,” he said.
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.