Together as one

Like a typhoon, the rains and winds brought about 319 landslides last November. While the damage done to Penang Hill looked like it would take years to correct, things were up and running in just two months – a feat worthy of a book. ‘It was the spirit of

GEORGE TOWN: Residents on Penang Hill said it was the spirit of togetherness that got them through one of the worst storms ever to hit the state in November last year.

Penang Hill Residents’ Association chairman M. Arunasalam (pic) remembers it being like a typhoon sweeping through the place and that people rallied together to help.

“We did some of the clearing the traditional way, forming a human chain to move buckets of earth and sand.

“We had to hack the big boulders before removing them from the tracks.

“We also cleared up the roads for the bungalow owners to get home. Steel plates were put on certain stretches so that vehicles could enter the bungalow grounds,” Arunasalam, 67, recalled.

Asked if the scale of damage was a result of development taking place on the hilltop, he immediately brushed off the notion.

“There were no massive developments here except for a food and beverage centre. It was a natural disaster,” he said.

Arunasalam added that they could not do much until the rain stopped because the extent of the damage was staggering.

“Apart from bare slopes and fallen trees, the roads, jeep tracks and funicular railway tracks were covered in mud and earth.

“It was absolute mayhem,” he said.

Meanwhile, Penang Fire and Rescue Services (Operation and Fire Services) head Supt Nafis Ariff Abdullah said they had to walk up the hill through the track road during the rescue operation.

“About 40 personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department and police were involved in an eight-hour operation.

“We cut down small trees and branches to clear the hill road on the way up.

“We managed to bring the women and children down in a helicopter as the roads were totally cut off due to landslides.

“It was a tough operation, but we managed to bring down everyone trapped up there,” he added.