LIMBANG: Abrupt heavy rain lasting since Friday night has caused a landslide at Kampung Bukit Kota here, blocking the main access road in the area and affecting three houses nearby. The landslide happened around 2pm on Saturday, raising fears that more will follow in the hillside.
Datuk Hasbi Habibollah, Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Transport and Limbang Member of Parliament (MP), confirmed that the steep terrain and saturated soil after many days of heavy rain would have likely caused the landslide.
The District Disaster Management Committee accompanied him to inspect the site and ensure safety and immediate action measures.
“We hope that the weather will improve soon because heavy-intensity rains will cause the ground to be too soft and lead to further risk in subsequent landslides,” he told reporters at the scene.
The landslide also cut off the water and electricity supply to several areas from Bukit Kota to Limbang Airport. LAKU and Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) immediately began restoration works when the explosion was reported, with officials anticipating full services to be restored within 24 hours.
Authorities have advised the public to steer clear of the collapsed area, saying that even after this landslide, the ground remains unstable and can give way again.
JKR in collaboration with the District Disaster Management Committee, is looking at all measures to reopen the affected route, added Mohd Shahrizal. Motorists are also directed to take alternative routes through Jalan 7 Batu Keliling or Jalan Bypass Kampung Tababang in the meantime.
Datuk Hasbi also urged the Social Welfare Department (JKM) to offer direct assistance from them to families whose homes had been affected. He urged residents living near susceptible slopes to be on alert for changes in soil and meteorological conditions.
Present at the scene were Bukit Kota State Assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rahman Ismail, Limbang Division Deputy Resident Marie Cotilla Louise, District Officer and Disaster Committee Chairman Sulaiman Engal, District Police Chief Parum Niot and Head of Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Zone 7, Limbang Ramlan Marajan.
Their presence was proof of the seriousness of his situation and of a coordinated effort to keep the community safe.
The landslide is a reminder of the risks posed by continued hours of heavy rain in Sarawak, where hillside settlements and infrastructure continue to be at risk of sudden movements from ground above. Officials have been continuously tracking weather patterns to prevent additional threats.
