Batang Kali landslide: The landslide occurred on artificial slopes - Ibrahim Komoo
Ibrahim Komoo.
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Academy of Professors Malaysia (APM) Environment and Sustainability Cluster chief Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Ibrahim Komoo said there was a lot of water seeping into the slopes when it rains, causing it to collapse.
He said under normal conditions, the water would enter the embankment soil, where the soil will be 'saturated' and the stability of the soil would decrease.
"Based on past occurrences, many landslides incidents occurred on embankment slopes along roads in mountains and hilly areas in Malaysia.
"Incidents like this have caused road damages, some roads were cut off or partially collapsed.
"The previous incidents had not caused deaths because there were no residents at the foot of the landslide areas or along the road," he said in a post on Facebook on Friday.
He said today's landslide incident was considered unfortunate because it had 'coincidentally' happened close to a camping area around 100 meters below the landslide (30m below road level).
Some 90 people were fast asleep in their tents when the landslide happened.
"The landslide followed by the 'land flow' caused the camping area to be buried.
"This incident happened on an artificial slope (reservoir slope, and farm clearing) and not on a natural slope," he explained.
The Selangor Malaysia Fire and Rescue Service (JBPM) director had received the call on the incident around 2.24am before rushing onto the scene.
As of 1pm, a total of 16 victims were confirmed dead in the landslide incident.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the remains of victims who died, were sent to the Sungai Buloh Hospital and the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL).
