Damaged root believed to be cause of collapse of 130-year-old raintree

TAIPING: A damaged root is believed to have caused a 130-year-old raintree in the Taiping Lake Gardens to collapse last Saturday.
Taiping Municipal Council (MPT) president Datuk Abd Rahim Md Ariff said the unstable burden of the tree was the cause of the damaged root.
"Inspections made by SH Eco Landscape, which was appointed by MPT, found that the root was damaged most likely due to the unstable tree burden," he said.
He added measures will be taken to avoid similar occurrences.
"The tree root will be treated and the soil around it will be replaced with an appropriate soil medium," he said, adding that there were 37 raintrees along Raintree Walk which are believed to be more than 130 years old.
On Oct 13, a raintree, or by its scientific name Samanea Saman, at the Raintree Walk in Taiping Lake Gardens collapsed due to a broken root.
The tree is believed to be planted by British Officials on a former tin mine site.
Reports of the trees collapse resulted in many expressing their sadness as it is one of the the main attraction of the lake.