Natural Disaster(Land Slide)

Natural Disaster That Attacks In MALAYSIA

(KL-KARAK Highway Landslide)

Natural disasters is any catastrophic event that is caused by nature or the natural processes of the earth such as flood, fire, earthquake, tornado and windstorm. It affect the people in various kind of way every year in Malaysia

A landslide or landslip is a natural disaster, something which is cannot avoid by human beings. Landslides can vary in size but usually they always involve a large ground movement. This can be things such as debris and rock failing.  A landslide can occur on shore or off shore and usually at coastal lines but it is the gravity that forces the debris and rocks to fall and for a total landslide to occur.

Landslides in Malaysia are regular natural disasters in Malaysia which occur along hillsides and steep slopes.There are many landslide happened in Malaysia. 

•    1 May 1961 - A landslide occurred in Ringlet, Cameron Highlands, Pahang.
•    21 October 1993 The man-made Pantai Remis landslide caused a new cove to be formed in the coastline.
•   11 December 1993 - 48 people were killed when a block of the Highland Towers collapsed at Taman Hillview, Ulu Klang, Selangor.
•    30 June 1995 - 20 people were killed in the landslide at Genting Highlands slip road near Karak Highway.
•    6 January 1996 - A landslide in the North-South Expressway (NSE) near Gua Tempurung, Perak.
•    29 August 1996 - A mudflow near Pos Dipang Orang Asli settlement in Kampar, Perak, 44 people were killed in this tragedy.
•    15 May 1999 – A landslide near Bukit Antarabangsa, Ulu Klang, Selangor. Most of the Bukit Antarabangsa civilians were trapped under the rubble. Only two victims survived - an Indonesian maid and a child.
•    20 November 2002 – The bungalow of the Affin Bank chairman General (RtD) Tan Sri Ismail Omar collapsed due to an early morning landslide in Taman Hillview, Ulu Klang, Selangor, with a fatality in his family.
•    December 2003 – A rockfall in the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) near the Bukit Lanjan interchange caused the expressway to be closed for more than six months.
•    31 May 2006 – Four persons were killed in the landslides at Kampung Pasir, Ulu Klang, Selangor.
•    26 December 2007 – Two villagers were buried alive in a major landslide, which destroyed nine wooden houses in Lorong 1, Kampung Baru Cina, Kapit, Sarawak.
•    12 February 2009 – one contract worker was killed in a landslide at the construction site for a 43-storey condominium in Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur.
•    21 May 2011 – 16 people mostly 15 children and a caretaker of an orphanage were killed in a landslide caused by heavy rains at the Children's Hidayah Madrasah Al-Taqwa orphanage in FELCRA Semungkis, Hulu Langat, Selangor.
•    29 Dec 2012 – 88 residents of bungalows, shophouses and double-storey terrace houses in the Puncak Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur were ordered to move out because of soil movement. Resident Siti Mahfudzah Shahril, 34, said she was shocked at the sound of a siren and rushed out to see a landslide of about 50m high.
•    4 Jan 2013 – Construction at the Kingsley Hill housing project at Putra Heights has been halted temporarily following a landslide at the site that caused several vehicles to be submerged in mud.. No update if this affects the progress of the construction of Kingsley International school, located at the other side of this hill.

•   11 November 2015 – A landslide occurred at km 52.4 of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway between Lentang and Bukit Tinggi, Pahang and Gombak-Bentong old roads. The Lentang-Bukit Tinggi stretch of the expressway was closed to traffic.

When the stability of a slope decreases or changes, even just slightly, it can make the slope unstable. This means that with a large or even a small change, can cause a landslide.  However, there are many things that contribute to a landslides including;

• Erosion – if this occurs, even just slightly, can make some of the slope to fall in to oceans or rivers.
• Glaciers can also have a landslide – there is not much of a different from a cliff top.  Instead, the ice melts or is subject to heavy rain and causes a slight shift from a glacier.
• Earthquakes – this brings about a sharp change in the slope and makes it unstable.
• Groundwater can destabilize the slope putting pressure on it greatly.
• Volcanoes erupting – this can cause the slope to become unstable.
• Soil structure can change.

However, these are all natural causes for a landslide to occur but human activities can contribute to cause a landslide.

• Heavy machine vibrations in the ground
• Deforestation can make fragile slopes unstable.

Human Factors

•  Deforestation

           Rapid development in Malaysia to achieve vision 20202 had caused the physical changed to surface and threatened the ecosystems. over rapid development had caused flat land being fully used and insufficient to develop. thus, developers are looking forward for hillside lands as the demand for living is increasing with increased population and to make high profit. trees fallen off due to logging, housing and to make new access rads had altered hydrological parameters and bring environment degradation such as soil erosion and landslide. whenever there is  high intensity rainfall, rain water will absorb the soil, loosening and weakening the slopes and pulled the saturated materials downslope due to gravity.

• Poor construction practice

          Majority of slopes failures that contribute to the hazard of lanslide are due to design errors, construction errors and lack of maintanence and supervison.

landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa 6 dec 2008

landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa 6 dec 2008

There are things which we can do to protect ourself, family and property from the landslide

 Before the landslide :

• To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
• Prepare for landslides by following proper land-use procedures - avoid building near steep slopes, close to mountain edges, near drainage ways or along natural erosion valleys.
• Become familiar with the land around you. Learn whether debris flows have occurred in your area by contacting local officials. Slopes where debris flows have occurred in the past are likely to experience them in the future.
• Get a ground assessment of your property.
• Consult a professional for advice on appropriate preventative measures for your home or business, such as flexible pipe fittings, which can better resist breakage.
• Protect your property by planting ground cover on slopes and building retaining walls.
• In mudflow areas, build channels or deflection walls to direct the flow around buildings. Be aware, however, if you build walls to divert debris flow and the flow lands on a neighbor's property, you may be liable for damages.
• If you are at risk from a landslide talk to your insurance agent. Debris flow may be covered by flood insurance policies from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Recognize Landslide Warning Signs

• Changes occur in your landscape such as patterns of storm-water drainage on slopes (especially the places where runoff water converges) land movement, small slides, flows, or progressively leaning trees.
• Doors or windows stick or jam for the first time.
• New cracks appear in plaster, tile, brick, or foundations.
• Outside walls, walks, or stairs begin pulling away from the building.
• Slowly developing, widening cracks appear on the ground or on paved areas such as streets or driveways.
• Underground utility lines break.
• Bulging ground appears at the base of a slope.
• Water breaks through the ground surface in new locations.
• Fences, retaining walls, utility poles, or trees tilt or move.
• A faint rumbling sound that increases in volume is noticeable as the landslide nears.
• The ground slopes downward in one direction and may begin shifting in that direction under your feet.
• Unusual sounds, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together, might indicate moving debris.
• Collapsed pavement, mud, fallen rocks, and other indications of possible debris flow can be seen when driving (embankments along roadsides are particularly susceptible to landslides).

   During a Landslide

• During a severe storm, stay alert and awake. Many deaths from landslides occur while people are sleeping.
• Listen to local news stations on a battery-powered radio for warnings of heavy rainfall.
• Listen for unusual sounds that might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together.
• Move away from the path of a landslide or debris flow as quickly as possible. The danger from a mudflow increases near stream channels and with prolonged heavy rains. Mudflows can move faster than you can walk or run. Look upstream before crossing a bridge and do not cross the bridge if a mudflow is approaching.
• Avoid river valleys and low-lying areas.
• If you are near a stream or channel, be alert for any sudden increase or decrease in water flow and notice whether the water changes from clear to muddy. Such changes may mean there is debris flow activity upstream so be prepared to move quickly.
• Curl into a tight ball and protect your head if escape is not possible.

   After a Landslide

• Go to a designated public shelter if you have been told to evacuate or you feel it is unsafe to remain in your home. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345).
• Stay away from the slide area. There may be danger of additional slides.
• Listen to local radio or television stations for the latest emergency information.
• Watch for flooding, which may occur after a landslide or debris flow. Floods sometimes follow landslides and debris flows because they may both be started by the same event.
• Check for injured and trapped persons near the slide, without entering the direct slide area. Direct rescuers to their locations.
• Look for and report broken utility lines and damaged roadways and railways to appropriate authorities. Reporting potential hazards will get the utilities turned off as quickly as possible, preventing further hazard and injury.
• Check the building foundation, chimney, and surrounding land for damage. Damage to foundations, chimneys, or surrounding land may help you assess the safety of the area.
• Replant damaged ground as soon as possible since erosion caused by loss of ground cover can lead to flash flooding and additional landslides in the near future.
• Seek advice from a geotechnical expert for evaluating landslide hazards or designing corrective techniques to reduce landslide risk. A professional will be able to advise you of the best ways to prevent or reduce landslide risk, without creating further hazard.

Slides and flows are the types of landslide that happened most frequently in Malaysia. As Malaysia has high average annual rainfall, it had caused the soil and rock on the slope to lose their strength and cause slides and dlows to happen.

As a conclusion landslide occurrence can be initiated either by natural factor or human factor. However human is the main cause of the landslide occurrence in Malaysia. Human factors such as deforestation and poor construction practices had causes the slope stability being altered. the stability of slope is further worsened when it comes into contact with natural factor that is heavy rainfall. extensive heavy rainfall had weakened the soil structure and increase the groundwater level which later lead to soil erosion.

landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa 6 dec 2008

landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa 6 dec 2008

 

 Thank You...!