LIPIS: The impact of past limestone quarry activities triggered the rockfall incident at Kampung Kubang Rusa near Merapoh here, on Friday.
Padang Tengku assemblyman Datuk Mustapa Long said previously, a quarry was operating at the cave, but the company ceased operations more than seven years ago.
"The quarry is no longer active and the rockfall was the result of past activities in the area. Maybe drilling and blasting activities had loosened the rocks at certain sections of the cave... it could have been the result of (that and) the weather.
"During my visit to the area on Saturday, I was informed that one family was occupying a nearby wooden house, but following the incident, they have moved to stay with relatives. There are no other villages or settlements nearby," he said when contacted today.
Mustapa said the cave at Kampung Kubang Rusa was not listed as a tourism attraction for caving activities and the incident only occurred in the outer part of the cave.
Meanwhile, State Fire and Rescue Department Zone 3 chief Shahrulnizam Nasir said the 5am incident did not involve any casualties.
"Although the falling rocks covered a village road, the stretch is still accessible to motorcycles and four-wheel-drive vehicles," he said.
Limestone caves around the Merapoh area are over a million years old and some are popular for caving and nature exploration activities.