GEORGE TOWN, Aug 23 — The Penang Public Works Department (JKR), the Geotechnical Division of the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and the Minerals and Geoscience Department (JMG) are preparing a detailed report on the recent landslide along Jalan Paya Terubong, Ayer Itam.
State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the report will guide all relevant agencies in planning long-term remedial measures to ensure safety in the area.
“All key stakeholders have visited the site and are in the process of compiling their findings for coordinated action,” he told Bernama today.
He said visual inspections and monitoring since the incident have confirmed that no further landslides have occurred.
Continuous monitoring is ongoing, and permanent repair works will begin once technical input is received from the relevant departments, he added.
The landslide occurred on Thursday following more than three hours of heavy rain that affected a slope near three hillside homes. No casualties were reported.
JKR responded by covering the slope with plastic sheeting to reduce soil movement and minimise rainwater impact on the slope’s structure.
Inspections found the lower-level house was unoccupied and used for storage and that residents have been advised to remain vigilant.
Checks also revealed that upper-level homes were built into the hillside, with some extensions reaching the edge of the slope.
“Structural additions or modifications without proper design can pose serious risks to occupants,” Zairil warned, adding that there is a need for a comprehensive safety study of hillside residential areas and stricter enforcement against unapproved structural extensions. — Bernama
