A TRAGEDY AT TAMAN BUKIT ANTARABANGSA, ULU KELANG, SELANGOR

There was a massive landslide involving 14 luxury bungalows at the Taman Bukit Antarabangsa, Ulu Kelang early this morning. It was reported that 4 people have so far been identified as death and it was reveal that there are 2 units that have been completely buried.

It was reported that the affected were bungalows 15 and 16 in Taman Bukit Mewah, one of the two housing estates affected by the landslide while the other was from Taman Bukit Utama.

Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar stated that the fate of the four people were still unknown as the landslide had shifted the two bungalows from their original sites.

Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar reveal that the teams were using an excavator to move the rubble but the teams would ensure that the trapped residents were unhurt in the search and rescue operation.

Initially, three people were killed in the landslide which occurred at about 4am when most of the residents were still asleep.

Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar assured that the search and rescue operation would go on round the clock unless it rained heavily and the ground conditions prove too dangerous for the search and rescue personnel. Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar informed that 14 SAR teams were involved and they were carving out two alternative routes to enable desperate residents on Bukit Antarabangsa to leave the area as the main road has been sealed off.

In the meanwhile, it was informed that between 3,000 and 5,000 residents, mainly living in apartments in the vicinity of the landslide area, have been asked to evacuate for their safety as the ground was found unstable and unsafe for occupation.

It was learned that helicopters were used to evacuate the infants and elderly while affected residents we accommodated at Sekolah Kebangsaan Hulu Klang and will be allowed to return to their homes after the Public Works Institute of Malaysia (Ikram) confirms that the area is safe.

Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar commented that the ground was still unstable and earth movements were detected when any digging was done. The landslide area covers four hectares.

The Sultan of Selangor, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and the Selangor Mentri Besar have visited the site to see the situation on the ground during the day.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had instructed that construction atop Bukit Antarabangsa be stopped immediately. Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was accompanied by wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, announced that all hillslope development in Selangor is prohibited until further notice.

news n pictures courtesy of tumpang sekole.... n Paneh Miang