While specialists are still investigating the reason for the recent fatal landslide in Malaysia, an expert told CNA that it was likely an effect of intense rainfall during past days.
The particular rain led to what is called an “earthflow”, after the slope will get saturated and slide surfaces deep within the ground are shaped, said Dr Neither Shahidah Mohd Nazer of the Department of Earth Science and Environment at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Even with all safety measures taken, Mr Pang cautioned that landslides could happen “anywhere” plus were difficult to predict.
“The occurrence was very heartbreaking, especially when it occurred to a campsite where people were camping and enjoying nature, ” he said.
“I’m not saying that landslides which included victims on additional occasions are less serious. But when this particular happened to campsites and campers, it really saddened me quite a lot. ”
Mountaineer Jeremy Tong, exactly who organises camping plus summit trips to Gunung Ledang in Johor about 8 times a year, acknowledged that landslides were “quite common” in Malaysia.
“But that kind of level (near Genting) has been quite shocking. I am just not sure about the region itself, but I think that it was honestly quite scary, ” mentioned the 32-year-old, which works as an outdoor education and learning specialist at United World College associated with South East Asian countries.
Mr Tong used to camp frequently around Gunung Tahan in Pahang more than a decade ago. He said he usually eliminates trees and channels when picking a campsite, noting that these can result in deadfall and expensive floods after wet weather.
“We never really look out for mudslides, because it’s very difficult to predict that kind of soil erosion from that kind of degree, ” he mentioned.