Part of hill slope near Putrajaya apartments collapses

By DEVID RAJAH, SIM LEOI LEOI, MAZWIN NIK ANIS and A. LETCHUMANAN

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PUTRAJAYA: The authorities took quick action in getting immediate accommodation for 334 families who were evacuated from their apartment units at Precinct 9 here following a landslide in the wee hours of yesterday morning.

The residents would be relocated to a newly-completed apartment block in Precinct 14 for two weeks, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who visited the affected area and residents yesterday.

He said all possible assistance would be extended to the 1,500 people.

Part of a 12m-high hill slope crashed down on the parking lot, burying 25 cars, some crushed under tonnes of soil and undergrowth.


Collapsed earth: Police officers inspecting the landslide in Precinct 9, Putrajaya yesterday morning. The police said the landslide measured some 9m to 12m high and covered a 3m-wide area. — Bernama
The soil came to a halt mere centimetres away from a kindergarten housed in one of the blocks. However, no one was injured in the 4am incident.

The hillslope where the landslide happened had been planted with trees and remained stable for the past 10 years, Abdullah said.

“I am surprised as to why the landslide happened now,” he said.

According to officials, a special committee had been formed to study the safety of the hill slope as an open reservoir holding over 30 million litres of water sits on the hilltop.

The apartments are the residential quarters for civil servants from the various ministries in the administrative capital.

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said affected civil servants could take time off to deal with the problem.

Putrajaya Corporation chairman Tan Sri Samsuddin Osman said it had made arrangements for residents to be temporarily placed at the community hall in Precinct 9.

“I have been told by Ikram that the building is stable but they want to conduct further tests on the ground. If they decide that it will be too dangerous for the residents to return, we will arrange for them to stay in the apartments in Precinct 14,” he said.

In Kuala Lumpur, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the Public Works Department had forewarned of water leakage from a water tank in the apartment area in July last year.

However, Samy Vellu said he was not certain if the leakage was a factor in the landslide.

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Zulhasnan Rafique said residents would only be allowed home under police escort to gather some provisions and clothing.