Landslides: Hill cutting causes RM25m damage
Published on: Wednesday, December 11, 2019
By: Larry Ralon
TAMPARULI: Up to about RM28 million will be needed to repair two roads badly damaged by landslides the past 48 hours with that at KM96.7 of the Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan Road (between Kundasang-Ranau) believed caused by hill cutting by the landowner alone costing up to RM25m – a reminder to all local authorities to take hill cutting activities in their areas seriously.
The second incident was along Tamparuli-Kiulu. They were among three major landslide incidents in the State since Sunday night. The latest early Tuesday was along a road in Membakut which only required clearing.
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State Infrastructure Development Minister, Datuk Peter Anthony, said the damages at KM96.7 of Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan road would require between RM20-RM25 million to repair, while the Tamparuli-Kiulu road would need RM2.5-RM3 million.
“The repairs on the Kota KK-Sandakan road will begin immediately,” he said, when met during his inspection at the Tamparuli-Kiulu road landslide site, Tuesday. Sabah Public Work Department (PWD) Director Richard Jomiji Kinsil and Political Secretary to Chief Minister, Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas, were among present.
Anthony said their priorities right now is to work on providing temporary alternative roads at both landslide sites. It would require two to three days to do that at the KK-Sandakan landslide site, depending on the weather condition. The
Tamparuli-Kiulu site is expected to take at least 24 hours because there is still space on the road shoulder which can be widened.
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Hill cutting to allow for agriculture and house construction atop a hill is believed to be behind the KK-Sandakan landslide.
Fortunately no vehicle was passing when the 9.40pm landslide occurred, affecting an area 80m by15m by 10m and leaving traffic stranded on both sides.
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Motorists intending to go from Kota Kinabalu to Ranau and vice versa had to use alternative routes, namely Kg Dumpiring-Mohimboyon-Kibbas Road, Kibbas-Mohimboyon-Dumpiring Road and Pinosuk-Kauluan-Kundasang Road.
The landslide at Tamparuli-Kiulu road involving an area 28m by 10m by 50m reportedly occurred at between 3.30am-4am on Tuesday due to soil underneath the road surface caving in due to water pressure.
People can still use alternative routes namely Kiulu Lawa Mondou Road/Kiulu Logkou Lama Road/Bungalio Logkou Timbok Road.
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“My Ministry, through the Public Work Department, will continue to be on alert. I advise all road users, especially in Tamparuli, Kundasang and Ranau, to be careful when on the road, particularly when passing through hill sides, especially at night and when it rains.
“We at the Ministry-level will be issuing warnings should the need arise, through social media, radio and so on so road users can take necessary action,” he said.