TV PAKATAN RAKYAT

A Landslide hit Bukit Antarabangsa early yesterday, burying 14 houses and cutting off access for thousands of residents and disrupting water, electricity and phone lines. A team led by the Selangor State Assemblyman and Member Of Parliament went to the disaster zone to provide aids to the residents. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, the earth around the hill slopes of Bukit Antarabangsa, a suburban development in a thickly forested water catchment area in the city, groaned, shook and surged forward, buckling roads, overturning cars, snapping lamp posts, and flattening 14 houses in its wake. Four people died, 14 others have been injured and over 2,000 people have been told to evacuate their homes.

Almost 15 years ago, 48 people, including the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam, died after one of the three Highland Towers condominium blocks located within the same Bukit Antarabangsa area came crashing down as a result of yet another landslide. At the time, then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad put a stop to further hillside development.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Three people, including a mother, her two-month-old baby and maid, have been confirmed dead in a massive landslide early today that has trapped hundreds of residents in Bukit Antarabangsa. Police also said seven others are missing and 15 injured in the 4am landslide that swept and buried 14 houses in Jalan Bukit Mewah and Jalan Mewah Utama.

Meanwhile, Bernama reports that the injured were given first aid at the Addinniah surau before being sent to hospital. At least 12 ambulances were spotted at the scene.

One of the affected bungalows is owned by Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab, the principal private secretary to the prime minister. Thajudeen and his family are safe as they were not at home at the time.

Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman Azmin Ali said at the scene that earth movements continued to take place and that electricity supply to several housing estates in Bukit Antarabangsa was disrupted.

Eyewitness Hassan Saad said he was watching television in his sitting room at 4am when he heard what sounded like strong wind but when he looked out, the air was still and the trees were not swaying. He returned to watching the TV but suddenly he heard an explosion like that of a bomb. He ran out of the house and saw the earth sliding down the hillslope and hitting his neighbour's house in front.

The 48-year-old businessman said he shouted to wake up his family and alert his neighbours to run for their lives. His family of 10, including his mother-in-law and two cousins, managed to run to safety. Hassan, who has been living there for 15 years, said it was the first time that such a thing had happened in the area.