Threat of landslide looms over residents of Bukit Setiawangsa

KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Setiawangsa residents fear a repeat of the Dec 28, 2012 landslide is imminent with heavy rain over the week leading to soil movement in Jalan Bukit Setiawangsa.
They are experiencing sleepless nights after noticing earth movement at the exact spot where a shift in soil led to a bungalow being split into two and hundreds evacuating their homes in the days that followed.
The drama began about two weeks ago when residents saw water running down the 50m concrete embankment, covering the slope with fresh earth carried down with the flow.
Resident Azlin Othman, 44, is afraid of a repeat of the incident nearly 17 months ago which also began with similar earth movement.
"Since the previous landslide, there has been little action or none taken by the authorities to ensure residents' safety," she told theSun.
theSun team drove to the top of the slope to Puncak Setiawangsa where a number of bungalows are and found old tarpaulin covering soil at the top of the embankment.
A bungalow directly at the top of the slope was vacant while several a distance behind it were occupied.
Azlin said Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the developer, Island & Peninsular Sdn Bhd, had assured residents after the landslide that action would be taken to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
"But it seems that our plight has fallen on deaf ears," she added.
Azlin, who operates a shop at the bottom of the slope, vividly remembers the 2012 landslide.
"I was sitting in my shop when I heard a loud sound outside. I was shocked to see the earth rushing towards me," she said adding that she as grateful that the fallen soil did not reach her shop.
"But after one and a half years, not much progress has been done. We fear that the heavy rainfall we are experiencing nowadays may have an effect on the slope," she added.
Azlin urged the authorities said not to wait until another landslide occurred before taking action.
"People moved out of the area after the last incident. Those still here like me cannot move out for specific reasons," she added.
Another resident Suhaily Ayob, 41, said that after the last landslide, many residents left their homes out of fear for a repeat of the incident.
"We are in fear. The authorities said that they will construct a concrete wall to hold the slope, but until today little has been done," she lamented.
She said the developer had told residents that the slope was safe "but what assurance do we have of this happening?".
theSun observed that several houses in Bukit Setiawangsa had "for sale" and "for rent" signs at the front while several others at Puncak Setiawangsa at the top of the slope also carried similar signs.