GEORGE TOWN: If the Bukit Kukus paired road project has proceeded as planned, it would spell greater disaster, Universiti Sains Malaysia Landslide, Disaster Management and Soil Erosion expert Professor Dr Habibah Lateh warned today.
Habibah said this was because, the soil, used particularly to fill the site, was not suitable as they comprised sandy soil.
She said the bedrock structure at the site further worsened the situation as the hill comprise granite stones.
The composition of the granite stones, upon chemical weathering, would form sand and mud, making the soil structure loose.
“I had accompanied the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) to inspect the site today, and from my observation, the sandy soil there makes the whole structure weak and not solid for such development. It is definitely not the right soil. That is the weakness.
“If the project had proceeded as planned, without the landslide now, it will still spell danger in future due to the soil structure.
“I am not here to find fault with anyone but it seems that we have not learn from past disasters,” she said when met after the site visit.
Habibah also asked the relevant authorities that had been monitoring the project and if the engineers had gone down to the ground to check the situation.
“Did they (developer) follow the standard operating procedure (SOP)? According to the structure planning, it is very clear that there should be no development above 76m and a slope gradient of 26m.
“What is of concern (in this case) is the way the slope had been cut and where the containers were sited. There is water running down. And the water will bring with it the loose soil, and in the process, bring with it the containers.
“It is acceptable if this is due to natural causes but if it involves human factor, this should be given serious attention so that any disaster can be prevented in future,” she added.
Meanwhile, Habibah said detail studies should first be conducted on the suitability of the soil prior to the implementation of any project.
A massive landslide struck the Bukit Kukus paired road project construction site on Friday afternoon.
To date, rescuers have retrieved nine bodies of foreign workers at the worksite and rescued three people.
Two bodies were retrieved yesterday, three on Sunday and two each on the first and second day of the search and rescue (SAR) operation.
The deceased, save for a Bangladeshi, were in the official missing persons’ list.
Rescues are now looking for another Bangladesh national, whose name is in the list.