Noh: Govt will help landslide families

AID: If area is unsafe for dwelling, residents will be relocated

THE government will provide housing assistance to those affected in the landslide in Serendah here, if the area is declared unsafe.

Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said it would take up to three days to determine if the surrounding area was safe for dwelling.

Sixty-four houses, with 340 occupants, were affected by the landslide that left a 7m-deep sinkhole, with a radius of about 150m, in the early hours two days ago.

Noh said investigations were being carried out in the area by the authorities and their findings would determine the next course of action.

“If the findings show that the redzone area is not safe for dwelling, the government will look for an alternative solution to relocate residents. The ministry is ready to provide housing assistance.

“If there is available land in the same area, we will assist in building houses for the 64 families.”

Piling works to fortify the ground in the area were expected to be completed today, said district officer Mohd Fauzi Mohd Yatima.

He said the Public Works Department had been carrying out the piling works non-stop to prevent the recurrence of landslides in the vicinity.

When asked about the cause of the landslide, Fauzi said the Minerals and Geoscience, and Drainage and Irrigation departments were investigating if there was a burst underground pipe.

Police had declared the area of the landslide as a “red zone” and ordered the residents to evacuate to the nearby Sekolah Rendah Agama Serendah.

In the incident, a resident, Mohd Fareez Hanuddin, 21, who was riding home on his motorcycle, was injured when he fell into the sinkhole.