Did logging activities, development cause mudslide on KL-Karak highway?

The actual cause of the mudslide at the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway which resulted in thousands of motorists trapped on Wednesday will be investigated even though several parties did not rule out the incident might have been due to uncontrolled logging activities and development.

Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) is among those which believes the landslip at KM52.4 of Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway near Lentang-Bukit Tinggi area was due to uncontrolled logging activities in the Lentang Forest Reserve area.

The highway concessionaire, ANIH Berhad also said rubbish, timber logs and boulders which were swept away in the incident near the Lentang Forest Reserve showed certain activities in areas outside of the company's maintenance site caused overflow of water.

However, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said the mudslide incident was due to natural causes but did not deny there were logging activities near the area.

The Pahang Forestry Department concurred with the statement and denied there was logging activities on the fringe of the Lentang Forest Reserve which caused the incident, and said the incident was due to heavy rain and slope failure in the area.

Nonetheless, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof on Thursday stressed that the cause of the incident would be investigated and its results would be announced in two weeks after the related experts completed their studies on the incident.

However, he said it was still too early to link the incident to logging activities as investigations had not been completed.

The mudslide near Lentang-Bukit Tinggi at 6.30pm Wednesday caused a section of the highway impassable in both directions, with three private vehicles and a lorry stranded in the area. Fortunately, vehicle owners managed to run to safety.

The incident also caused 25 occupants of Pahang Forestry Department quarters to evacuate to the Lentang mosque.

Meanwhile, the Fire and Rescue Department has not ruled out the possibility of a second mudslide at the highway, should heavy rain continue.

Its deputy director-general, Datuk Soiman Jahid said the possibility was based on a survey from the air which showed there were pools of water at the hill top near the highway.

PHOTOS: Aftermath of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway mudslide

READ: KL-Karak highway closed at KM52.4 until Saturday - Police

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READ: Eyewitness: 'I saw water gushing, cars were almost adrift'

PHOTOS: Kuala Lumpur-Karak highway mudslide