Landslide in Putrajaya

Stories by GEETHA KRISHNAN and ESTHER CHANDRAN
metro@thestar.com.my
Photos by ROHAIZAT MD DARUS and GEETHA KRISHNAN

PUTRAJAYA experienced its first natural disaster when a landslide occurred behind the Phase 11 Apartments in Precinct 9.

No death and no casualty were reported in the 4.30am incident yesterday that forced the evacuation of 1,200 residents from three 15-storey apartment blocks. The landslide occurred behind Block B.

Several thudding sounds woke up a few residents on the lower floor of the block and upon looking out of their windows to investigate, they realised a landslide had occurred and the impact had caused cars to crash into one another.


No more a slope: The landslide site behind Phase 11 Apartments in Precinct 9, Putrajaya.
They contacted the police and sounded the alarm to alert most of the residents who were still asleep.

The evacuation order came from the police who arrived swiftly at the scene.

In the incident, several tonnes of earth and undergrowth slid from a height of 12m to the ground, covering a 3m-wide area. It mostly affected the parking lot behind Block B.

Initially, the Putrajaya Fire and Rescue Services Department brought in five sniffer dogs to ascertain if anyone was buried under the earth.

Following the evacuation order and fearing further soil movement, the Putrajaya police cordoned off the area.

An operations centre was set up following the arrival of authorities from the National Security Department, Public Works Depart-ment, Putrajaya Corporation and other agencies.

Putrajaya Corporation president Tan Sri Samsudin Osman who arrived at the scene at 9.30am said he was thankful that no one was hurt in the incident and that the evacuation was carried out smoothly.

“Residents will be temporarily housed at the Precinct 9 Residential Complex Hall while awaiting further instructions from the authorities.

“If the report is not ready by today, we will move them to the vacant government quarters in Precinct 14,” he said.

Samsudin spoke to the media after accompanying Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan to the site.