ARABELLA LANDSLIDE: TANAH RATA ASSEMBLYMAN CALLS FOR EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS IN CAMERONS

CAMERON HIGHLANDS, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- Tanah Rata assemblyman (ADUN) Ho Chi Yang said he will request the government to consider installing a disaster early warning system in high-risk areas, especially on residential slopes, to monitor soil movement.

He said the need arises in Cameron Highlands, much so also after the landslide near Block C of the Puncak Arabella Apartments here last night.

"The government has indeed installed an Early Warning Systems, especially on slopes but we are also aware that the entire Cameron Highlands is a highland region, so the landslide illustrates that it does not have such a system in place.

"So it is indeed my plan and (hopefully) the government's, to add more (early warning) systems to detect ground movement to ensure slopes in Cameron Highlands are safe," he said after visiting the affected residents at the temporary evacuation centre (PPS) of Puncak Arabella hall.

He also stated that the Public Works Department (JKR) and several other agencies are conducting studies on Federal and State roads to identify high-risk locations for installing the early warning system.

Meanwhile, Ho agreed that the authorities such as the JKR and the Minerals and Geosciences Department (JMG) are still investigating the Arabella landslide.

"At the same time, JKR and JMG are investigating if the slopes are currently safe. So, we have to wait for this study before we can decide if the residents can return to their homes,” he said.

During the landslide, a resident taxi driver R. Parthipan, 48, said he was at work, when his wife heard their youngest child scream upon hearing a loud bang and seeing the shadow of a fallen tree near their unit.

"She screamed, then my second child saw the ground collapsing. My wife then quickly bundled my three children and my 80-year-old father-in-law out of the house, got into the car and drove to a safe place," Parthipan said.

He explained that his house was on the second floor of the apartment, while another unit downstairs was near the slope, making his block looking very risky. "It was really frightening… I couldn't go up as the road was cut off, we were communicating by phone."

Earlier, access to the entrance to Puncak Arabella Apartments at Tanah Rata in Cameron Highlands was cut off by the landslide on the hillside near Block C at 8.30 pm yesterday.

It occurred after continuous heavy rain, cutting off access to 346 houses and causing 28 housing units in the block to be in a precarious condition.

So far, a total of five families consisting of 19 victims have been placed at the Arabella PPS.

-- BERNAMA