254 CRITICAL SLOPES AT RISK OF LANDSLIDES NATIONWIDE

Some 254 locations nationwide have been identified as critical slopes at risk of landslides, says the Mineral and Geoscience Department (MGD). Of this, 104 sites were classified as high risk, 97 as medium risk and 53 as low risk.

Sabah has the most critical slopes at 36, followed by Johor, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan and Perak (25 each), Sarawak and Selangor (21), Negri Sembilan (19), Penang (13), Kedah (eight), Melaka (6), Perlis (4) and Kuala Lumpur (1).

According to MGD director-general Datuk Zamri Ramli, 31 locations have also been identified as being landslide hotspots. These included locations along several highways such as the East-West Link Expressway, Tapah-Cameron Highlands route, Seremban-Simpang Pertang, Rembau-Johol and Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway.

Locations in Sungai Buloh, Bukit Antarabangsa, Genting Peras and Sungai Buloh are also among those listed as hotspots.

In Sabah and Sarawak, locations in Kota Kinabalu, Kundasang, Sandakan, Miri, Kapit and Bau were identified as hotspots.

Zamri said the hotspots had seen some 6,431 landslides and 602 deaths from May 11.

7 forest ecoparks that could potentially experience debris flows had also been mapped in 2023. They are the Lata Iskandar Forest Ecopark in Perak, Sungai Tua Forest Ecopark in Selangor, Jeram Toi Forest Ecopark in Negri Sembilan, Chamang Forest Ecopark in Pahang, and the Lata Payung, Chemerong and Air Menderu Forest Ecoparks in Terengganu.

Those living in sloped areas or locations with a history of landslides are advised to pay attention to their surroundings. “Look out for small movements on slopes, cracks in the ground, walls, pillars or roads. Contact the Minerals and Geoscience Department or local authorities for further information or assistance,” Zamri said.

Source: Star (24 January 2024)

Original article here: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/01/24/254-critical-slopes-identified?