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CAMERON HIGHLANDS, May 23 — A landslide occurred early today in Taman Mawar, Kuala Terla, here, prompting the authorities to order 25 occupants of four houses to evacuate immediately.
The incident happened at 1.15am after the hill slope behind the houses gave way, almost trapping a 70-year-old woman and her five grandchildren aged between 10 and 18.
Fire-and-rescue personnel helped the six people out of their house, said Cameron Highlands Fire and Rescue Station chief Muhammad Haziq Hazmi.
The occupants of the other houses rushed out of their homes in time to escape the landslide, he told Bernama.
“We found six people in one house while the three other houses were empty.
No one was injured,” he said, adding that the rescued victims moved in with relatives.
The residents suspect that overflow of water from a housing estate water tank on top of the hill might have triggered the landslide.
V. Suresh, 39, an occupant of one of the three vacated houses, said the kitchen of his house was badly damaged.
He said the family of seven was fast asleep when a loud noise woke them up and they felt the house shake.
“I saw earth in the kitchen and could smell cooking gas. Fearing for the worst, I brought my wife and three children and my parents out of the house,” he told reporters here today.
Another resident, K. Sengodan, 36, said the residents had notified Pengurusan Air Pahang Berhad (Paip) on May 17 of the overflow of water from the tank but nothing was done about it.
Muhammad Haziq said the Public Works Department (JKR) was clearing the earth that had piled up behind the houses.
“We hope JKR will clear up the earth quickly because if it rains, the muddy water will flow into our houses,” said Sengodan. — Bernama
