KUALA LUMPUR: When Sham, a resident of Jalan E6, Taman Melawati heard a loud rumbling sound this morning, he thought it was thunder.
Little did he know that it was the sound of a landslide, which would necessitate residents of 20 houses to move out for their safety.
Sham, in his 40s, was alone at home when he heard the rumbling sound around 9.30am.
"I thought it was just the sound of thunder and dismissed it at first.
"Later, I checked my messages and learnt that a landslide had just occurred nearby," he said when met at the scene today.
He said he was grateful that no one was hurt in the incident.
Meanwhile, Tajul Ariffin Chu Zahari,69, said he has seen water flowing from the hill slope each time it rained.
"Many residents have reported the issue to the authorities because we were worried.
"The Ampang Jaya Municipal Council claimed they had checked the slope before and that there was nothing to fear," he said.
Another resident, Shireen Nik Ibrahim, 54, said her daughter saw the landslide occurring.
"She saw the trees at the top of the slope falling while she was reversing her car.
"She got out of her car and screamed before running toward a neighbour's house," she said adding that her daughter was crying when she called to relay the news.
She said the landslide also swept a guard post into her house compound.
"This is not the first time it happened.
"A few years ago, a smaller landslide occurred and they placed a blue plastic tarpaulin to cover the affected area," she said, adding that a few weeks ago she was informed by contractors that a retaining wall had been approved to be built in Sept.
Continuous heavy rain earlier today led to a landslide occurring along Jalan E6 in Taman Melawati, here.
Fire and Rescue Department personnel said the 20-metre by 20m slope had collapsed from a height of 30m.
Police have also ordered residents of 20 houses near the landslide to evacuate their homes.
Ampang Jaya district police chief ACP Mohd Azam Ismail said all residents affected by the incident were ordered to evacuate to the Multipurpose Hall in Jalan E5 Taman Melawati for the time being.