A family of 5 who just moved into their new home in Taman Sri Perkasa, Ipoh was left in shock after the perimeter wall of their new home collapsed during a landslide.
According to The Star, freelance insurance agent Dina Liz Ismail said part of the slope next to their house on Laluan Lapangan 3 gave way during a thunderstorm just before dawn on Sunday (15 May).
“There was a blackout at about 5 am, and we could see muddy water flowing on the road in front of our house and down the slope.”
“At about 6 am, the perimeter wall started to crack and then collapsed along with part of the slope,” she said.
They then made a call to the Fire and Rescue Department at about 7 am and when the firefighters got there, they inspected the location and make sure that nobody was hurt. They also advised the family and two other residents living near the landslide to vacate their homes to be safe.
Meanwhile, the developer had checked the house’s structure and said it is still stable.
Fortunately, the developer said they will cover the cost of repair and that the family will be put at a homestay nearby for the time being. It is estimated that the repairs could take about two weeks.
Meanwhile, the residents’ association chairman Datuk Zul Zukree Zakaria said he believed that the cause of the landslide was due to a development project nearby that started two years ago.
“Since the project started about two years ago, there have been numerous flash floods here. This time, part of the slope collapsed,” he said.
He also called on the Ipoh City Council to take this matter seriously and take action before more incidents happen.
Another resident, Noah Wong, who has been living in the area for almost a decade, said the roads outside their houses often get flooded when it rains heavily and it is only a matter of time before the water enters their houses.
Gopeng MCA vice-chairman Cally Ting said she will find a solution to the constant flash floods there, by meeting with the relevant parties including the developer of the project and the mayor, to find a solution to manage the flash floods in the area.
Former Ipoh city councillor Kok Pak Foo pointed out that there had been 2 landslides along the road and believed the drainage system could no longer accommodate the amount of water that flows through during heavy rains.
