Paya Terubong landslide: Four evacuated homes to remain off-limits for up to five months

GEORGE TOWN, Nov 12 — Residents of four evacuated houses in Taman Seri Rambai, Paya Terubong, will not be allowed to return home until mitigation works at the landslide site are completed, state executive councillor H’ng Mooi Lye said today.

The local government and town and country planning committee chairman said the works were expected to take four to five months.

“As for the four evacuated houses, residents are still not permitted to return to their homes until the mitigation works in Zone 1 have been fully completed and verified by the geotechnical engineer,” he said in a statement today.

He said the Penang Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) received full documentation and a formal application from Aptitude Consulting Engineers Sdn Bhd yesterday to carry out emergency mitigation and slope stabilisation works at the construction site affected by the landslide.

“DOSH granted permission to the developer’s civil engineer to carry out the mitigation works, subject to approval and permission from other relevant agencies,” he said.

“The mitigation works permitted by DOSH include emergency surface drainage mitigation works (ESCP) and slope stabilisation in the landslide area (Zone 1), as well as preventive stabilisation works on the exposed cut slopes at the construction site,” he said.

He reminded the developer and contractor to comply fully with the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and all regulations and instructions issued by relevant agencies.

The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) had previously declared four houses, numbered 1, 3, 5 and 7, unsafe for occupation, while two others, numbered 9 and 11, were cleared for reoccupation.

The October 25 landslide killed 73-year-old doctor Wong Kar Lin, who was buried by earth that also affected his home.

His wife, Chang Mei Nuo, 68, and mother-in-law, Wong Poh Lim, who is in her 80s, managed to escape.