KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — Malaysian Public Works Institute (Ikram) today said that short term mitigation work due to a landslide in Taman Bukit Permai in Ampang Jaya is expected to start this week.
Ikram construction division manager Mohd Hafiz Mohd Razali told The Star that the repair works are expected to take three to four months to be completed.
“Ikram will be using the soil-nailing method to treat the slope, which involves drilling holes for steel bars to be inserted into the slope face,” he was quoted saying by the English daily during a briefing for residents at Dewan MPAJ Cheras Baru in Jalan Kuari here.
He said that permanent slope strengthening works would be decided after the relevant authorities complete their investigations.
The landslides that happened in Taman Mega Jaya and Taman Bukit Permai 2 on March 10 and March 12, respectively, have forced residents to evacuate their homes in the vicinity.
Mohd Hafiz further said that the Public Works Department (PWD) had installed 10 sensors at the site to detect any ground movement.
Meanwhile, Minerals and Geoscience Department (JMG) deputy director Edward Muol said that the result of its investigation will be handed over to PWD and Ikram for the next course of action.
Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) councillor Mohammad Firdaus Babh, who also attended the meeting, told residents that at the moment, it is unable to tell when residents can return to their homes.
“But, they can still visit their homes to retrieve their belongings and the police are on site round the clock,” he said.
Following the landslides, it was reported that the slope at Taman Bukit Permai 2 in Ampang Jaya has been found to be unsafe and is likely to affect 72 houses in the area in the event of a second landslide.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the Hulu Langat District Disaster Committee advised the residents to vacate their homes, including those on the top of the slope.
The landslide on March 10 claimed four lives in Taman Mega Jaya while a fifth victim suffered minor injuries and fifteen houses and 10 vehicles were also damaged in the incident.
The area was declared a disaster zone a day later, resulting in the evacuation of residents of 48 homes in Jalan Teratai 1/2K, Jalan Teratai 1/2J and Jalan Mega 15.
On March 12, another landslide occurred at the same site and residents from a further 22 homes at Jalan Bukit Permai 1 were asked to vacate.
