Taman Idaman, Serendah declared as red zone area - police

Police have declared the landslide scene in Taman Idaman, Serendah here, as a restricted 'Red Zone' area.

Hulu Selangor district police chief Supt R. Supramaniam said as such, they had ordered 340 residents living in the area to move to Sekolah Rendah Agama Serendah, here.

"All of them were ordered to evacuate before 1.45pm today. As of 11.45am, only 10 per cent of the residents have moved, we ask the cooperation of the residents to abide by the instruction for their own safety.

"At the school, Social Welfare Department officers will provide them with food. The residents will stay at the school until the repair works are completed," he told reporters at the scene.

According to Supramaniam, 64 houses in the area were affected by the landslide which occurred around 1am today.

He said residents need not worry about the security of their residences as police personnel would be deployed to the area.

Members of the public were also not allowed to enter the landslide area, covering a radius of 600 metres and a traffic diversion would be built soon for the residents, he added.

READ: Serendah landslide: 1 injured, vehicles, food stall 'swallowed'

READ: Serendah landslide: 'When it rains, it pours' - Expert

Supramaniam said an initial investigation found that the landslide was caused by the swift flow of underground water.

"Based on the monitoring by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor, it was not due to water pipe," he said adding that the repair operation was being jointly carried out by agencies such as the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force and Public Works Department.

In the incident, a motorcyclist identified as Mohd Fareez, 21, suffered a broken arm and leg. He was sent to Selayang Hospital.

Selangor Fire and Rescue assistant director (Operations) Mohd Sani Harul when contacted earlier said 10 vehicles parked at the roadside and a food stall located in the vicinity fell into a gap caused by landslide at a nearby foothill.

Hulu Selangor member of Parliament Datuk P. Kamalanathan who is also Deputy Education Minister visited the scene. -- Bernama