Thursday May 9, 2013

KL mayor issues slope alert due to bad weather

Wrath of nature: City Hall workers clearing debris and fallen trees after the landslide along Jalan Mahameru.

KUALA LUMPUR: City mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib has issued a slope alert effective for the next few weeks due to the current weather pattern.

Ahmad Phesal said he had roped in Ikram (Public Works Institute of Malaysia) to assess slope stability in landslip-prone areas in the city during the wet spell.

“We have identified high-risk areas such as Federal Hill, Kg Attap, Langgak Tunku and several areas in Cheras with hilly terrain,’’ he said.

He added that hilly terrain where the soil had loosened due to heavy rainfall would be closely monitored.

Ahmad Phesal said City Hall had also deployed a team from its Landscape and Recreation Department to monitor areas with big trees.

On Tuesday, a landslide buried nine vehicles at a car park along Jalan Ampang, near the Jalan Dang Wangi intersection.

No casualties were reported in the 7pm incident in which part of the hillslope across the road from the Dang Wangi LRT station collapsed.

Meanwhile, three of the four lanes in Jalan Mahameru heading towards Jalan Tun Razak have been reopened to traffic after they were closed following a landslide.

Kuala Lumpur Traffic Police chief Asst Comm Rusli Mohd Noor said the three lanes were reopened at 1pm yesterday.

“One lane remains closed to enable City Hall workers to clear an uprooted tree,” he said.

In a related development, the Meteorological Department said more rain and thunderstorms were expected until the end of the month.

The department said in a statement that such weather was normal during the inter-monsoon season.

Call 03-7967 8116 for details.

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