Paya Terubong landslide: Stop-work order after man, 73, dies

A landslide killed a 73-year-old man at his home in Penang on Sunday morning. It hit the back of the house in Taman Seri Rambai, Paya Terubong.

The Penang Fire and Rescue Department and the Northeast district office gave details of the Paya Terubong landslide. The city council has since halted a nearby condominium and road project.

Here is what officials said about the rescue, the evacuation, the stop-work order and the likely cause.

The rescue at No. 1, Lebuh Rambai 13

The fire department received an emergency call at 8.36am. The Paya Terubong station, about 2km away, reached the scene at 8.38am.

The Northeast deputy district officer, Ismail Suhaimi Syarif, said the landslide struck at about 8.30am. He named the victim as Dr Wong Kar Lin, the owner of the house.

Initially, the caller said two people were inside, and one had got out. However, a later assessment confirmed three people were at the house.

Rescuers found Wong at about 9am, pinned under concrete at the back of the kitchen. Soil buried half his body.

Health Ministry personnel pronounced him dead at 9.10am. Rescuers recovered his body at 11.20am.

Suhaimi said concrete from a kitchen wall pinned Wong, who he believes was having breakfast. Pressure from water and soil complicated the work.

Seven fire personnel, including a supervisor, joined the first response. By the end, about 40 personnel from several agencies took part, Suhaimi said.

Those agencies included police, the district health office, the Malaysia Civil Defence Force and the Northeast District and Land Office.

Six houses evacuated while checks continue

Officials asked residents of six houses in the row to leave. They will stay at the Dewan MPKK Paya Terubong evacuation centre for five days.

About 15 people are affected, Suhaimi said. Each family has three or four members, but not all six houses were occupied.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Department slope division and the Minerals and Geoscience Department are preparing geotechnical reports. Officials expect them in about three days.

Then, authorities will decide whether the houses are safe. If they are not, Suhaimi said they may look for alternatives.

One owner who lives elsewhere came to collect belongings. He asked for until this evening to clear them.

Furthermore, the ground was still moving in the afternoon. Muddy water ran down the victim’s driveway and across Lebuh Rambai 13.

Workers planned to cover the slope with plastic sheeting from the top. Work at the foot of the slope stopped because of a crane and a large concrete block.

Suhaimi said officials classed the incident as an accident, not a disaster, since a disaster involves a larger-scale event.

City council halts the condo and road works

The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) issued a stop-work order after the Paya Terubong landslide, Bernama reported. It covers a hillside condominium project and roadworks.

Mayor Rajendran said the order allows further investigations. He added that the road and condominium projects had run for more than a year, with slope stabilisation under way.

State infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said some sections of the slope works were not yet complete. “Unfortunately, the section that had yet to be completed was the one affected by the landslide,” he said.

Free Malaysia Today reported that the developer must carry out immediate mitigation works. It must also submit a fresh environmental impact study to the council.

Paya Terubong assemblyman Wong Hon Wai said it is too early to name a cause, The Star reported. He said the public must await the council and developer findings.

The reports we read do not name the developer or say how long the order lasts. Zairil said investigations are ongoing.

What officials say caused the slope failure

The fire department said details on the cause and the damage to the house were not yet available. Suhaimi later gave initial findings.

First, a leaking drainage channel had been eroding the soil, he said. Next, a blocked drain uphill stopped water reaching the main drain, so it flowed into the house.

He also said a retaining wall was due for the slope, but it did not go up in time.

The slope lies beside a construction site directly above the row of houses. A tower crane stood behind the site hoarding.

These are initial findings, and the geotechnical reports are still pending. The reports we read do not name the developer or say whether site works played a part.

The Paya Terubong landslide followed overnight rain in Penang, which caused flash floods, fallen trees and other slope incidents.

For an earlier case, see our report on landslide repairs at Bukit Larut.