Highway Authority (MHA) has discovered a problem-area with loose boulders and logs on private property above Wednesday’s landslide site at the Karak Highway, raising concern over the instability of the terrain.

Its director-general Datuk Ismail Md Salleh said the debris could come crashing down the hill in a downpour.

“The first priority is to remove the debris which could pose a problem in future. The boulders and logs are in an area outside our jurisdiction which is privately-owned,” he told reporters here.

He said the area in question was about 1.5km above two walls that had been erected about 40m from the highway to stop debris.

Ismail met Bentong district officer Datuk Azhar Arshad yesterday afternoon on the matter and received permission for MHA workers to enter the property to remove the debris.

“The district office is cooperating with us and giving us assistance to carry out a clean-up of the debris.”

He said the district office was making efforts to identify the owner of the land.

Ismail said the authority was also concentrating on clearing the highway of mud and debris in the wake of the landslide which led to the closure of the main route between Kuala Lumpur and Kuantan.

“Right now, we want to make sure that the drains along the highway are cleared to allow water to flow and at the same time, clean debris off the road,” he said.

He said the authority would be building a retention wall along the affected hill slope as a short-term measure to stop debris from landing on the highway.

“We have to do something like this now as an immediate measure. We will be looking at a long-term solution, too,” he said, adding that protecting the hill slope was of paramount importance.