Friday September 21, 2012

High-rise building occupants worried over erosion

By TAN SIN CHOW
sctan@thestar.com.my

GEORGE TOWN: Some 5,000 residents are living in fear after rainwater burst through the wall beneath the 26-storey Green Garden Apartments.

The gushing water washed away the soil and gravel from beneath the building, which is located on Jalan Paya Terubong here, and left a tractor-sized hole.

Investigations showed that a retention pond built beneath the building was clogged with rubbish, causing the water to overflow before bursting through the wall at 12.15am yesterday.

Resident P. Saroja, 48, said she feared the building would collapse as a result of the erosion.

“We hope that the state government will provide us with temporary shelter if the building is declared unsafe.”

Another resident S. Vijayan said he hoped that the Joint Management Body (JMB) and the authorities would conduct a thorough inspection of the building.

Cause for concern: Rainwater that burst through the wall has left behind deep puddles and mud at the Green Garden Apartments in George Town.

Another resident, who wished to be known only as Ong, claimed a similar incident had occurred in 2004.

Civil engineer Tan Hock Aun advised JMB to conduct monthly maintenance by clearing the rubbish and debris from the retention pond.

State Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the source of the problem had been identified and rectified.

“The drainage system which allows water to flow from the retention pond was clogged. As a result, water could not flow through and this caused it to be diverted and burst through the wall.

“However, we will conduct further checks to ensure that the building is safe,” he said.

The building is made up two blocks of apartments with 2,200 units.

More News

News

Friday September 21, 2012

High-rise building occupants worried over erosion

By TAN SIN CHOW sctan@thestar.com.my

By TAN SIN CHOW
sctan@thestar.com.my