KUALA BERANG: The relevant authorities have been instructed to step up monitoring landslide-prone areas along hill slopes throughout the Northeast Monsoon season, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
He said that it would also help to ensure that landslides like the one that occurred in Kampung Bukit Apit, Ajil near here that killed two sisters yesterday and further landslides in the area do not recur.
"Issues relating to landslides are under the Department of Mineral and Geoscience (JMG), so we will send a team from the department to the location (of the landslide). We need to see if there is any underground water flow that might cause further slides," he told reporters after visiting the family of the two sisters killed in the Kampung Bukit Apit landslide and inspecting the landslide location together with several government departments and agencies here today.
During his visit, Ahmad Zahid, who is also National Disaster Management Committee chairman, provided donations to the victims' mother, Ruziah Fuad, 46, who is currently staying at a new rented house prepared by the state government in a nearby area.
He also advised the public, especially those living in hilly areas or slopes to be cautious during the monsoon season, and urged all parties to be prepared as the monsoon season is expected to be worse than 2014 and will hit not only East Coast states, but other states as well.
Sisters Puteri Sajidah, 16, and Siti Fatimah, 13 were found buried under the landslide, while their eldest sister Uzair Azman, 17, was rescued from under a concrete wall in the living room area yesterday.-- BERNAMA