The collapsed slope along Jalan Genting Klang damaged the retaining wall, which featured a patriotic mural, and a number of street signs. — ART CHEN/The Star
EFFORTS are underway to stabilise the Taman Bunga Raya slope in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, affected by the landslide on Thursday.
Some 52 residents were ordered to evacuate from 17 houses located along Lorong Malinja 5 and Lorong Malinja 6 after a 40m portion of the slope collapsed following a two-hour downpour.
Yesterday, the Fire and Rescue Department and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) resumed their cleanup efforts in the morning with parts of the slope being covered with canvas.
By noon, most of the three-lane Jalan Genting Klang had been cleared but only the right-most lane was opened to traffic.
One portion of the slope had yet to be covered as it could only be done once the debris was cleared.
Lai says DBKL’s Civil Engineering Department’s Slope Unit will carry out further testing on the slope.
DBKL Advisory Board member Andre Lai, during a site visit, said DBKL’s Civil Engineering Department’s Slope Unit would carry out further testing on the slope.
“For now, the important step is to protect the exposed portion of the slope with tarp, as the soil has to be dry before testing can be conducted.
“Some of the fallen debris such as bamboo plants cannot be cleared yet because moving their roots could cause further soil movement, so that will be done later.”
He said that proper assessment could only be carried out by authorities once the cleaning had been done.
When StarMetro visited the site, only a few vehicles remained outside the homes of residents who were told to evacuate. City Hall officers from the Building Control Department could be seen assessing the site.
Numerous police officers were also there to secure the site and residents’ homes.
No casualties were reported following the landslide that occurred at about 5.30pm on Thursday, after a downpour in Setapak.
The downpour, which affected parts of the Klang Valley, saw a number of flash floods occurring in Kuala Lumpur, including Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah and parts of Jalan Kuching.
A source in DBKL said that although a nearby community hall in Taman Bunga Raya had been converted into a temporary evacuation centre, none of the residents had chosen to stay there.
“They chose to stay in hotels or with their relatives.”
The collapsed slope also damaged the retaining wall that featured a patriotic mural and a number of street signs.
Lai, who served under former Wangsa Maju MP Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew, said it was the first such incident that had occurred in the area, and that the entire length of the retention wall (approximately 560m) would be checked.
“Ideally, the entire stretch of the retaining wall should be rebuilt to restore confidence among the residents,” he said.
