‘MORE LANDSLIDES’ WARNING
THE danger at Bukit Kukus, the scene of a horrific landslide on Friday, is far from over. A government agency says soil movement due to rain is very much visible, and that this poses a grave risk.
“There was nothing I could do to save my husband as I, too, was trapped in waist-deep earth.”
Norazizah, recounting the moments when the landslide hit their container
THE Department of Mineral and Geoscience is not discounting the possibility of more landslides in Bukit Kukus, which was hit by one on Friday.
This is based on the topography setting of the hill.
Its head for Perlis, Kedah and Penang, Azhari Ahmad, said whenever it rained, there would be soil movements in the area.
“This is risky and there is a possibility that more landslides will occur,” he said at the site here yesterday.
Azhari and his team were here to assist in the search-and-rescue (SAR) operation for five people missing in the landslide, when tonnes of earth washed down on construction site containers, placed on the hillslope where they were staying.
He said there was a natural stream flowing downhill.
The stream, he said, was filled with running water.
“And due to its shallowness, when it rains, the water can become swift and overflow into the nearby area.
“For now, we have managed to divert the water-flow from the stream to elsewhere,” he said, adding that most of Penang hills, including Bukit Kukus, were made of granite stones.
He said the composition of granite stones, upon chemical weathering, would form sand and mud, making the soil loose.
He said their assessment at the site of the landslide showed that the soil there was from natural formation.
Azhari said they would carry out an investigation if the need arose.
Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Che Zaimani Che Awang said the SAR operation, which was halted at 7pm yesterday, would resume at 8.30am today.
He said the search area today would focus on three main points in two sectors, which the K-9 unit had shown an interest.
“We believe there are some leads there.
“We will look for victims and call off the operation once we are satisfied that there are none left.”
State Fire and Rescue Department director Saadon Moktar said more assets had been deployed for the SAR operation.