Huge crack appears in orang asli village

IPOH: Kampung Pawong in the Pos Slim Orang Asli settlement in Simpang Pulai south of here has been declared unsafe for occupation after a huge crack appeared in the ground.
The 50m-long, 1.2m wide and 1.5m deep crack, which appeared at about 3pm yesterday, has affected three houses badly, Perak Minerals and Geoscience Department director Datuk Ahmad Zukni Ahmad Khalil said.
"Right now, the area is unsafe. Heavy rain and its proximity to the river bank are the primary factors," he said in a statement.
A row of six houses built in 2008 at the settlement had to be evacuated yesterday following the appearance of the crack.
Ahmad Zukni said the crack was just 10m from the river and at a height of 60m, and there is a possibility of erosion taking place due to heavy rain.
"This causes cracks along the alignment of the river," he said, adding the crack has appeared on reclaimed land.
Kampung Pawong, located 14km from Simpang Pulai, has 15 houses and a surau.
Meanwhile three flood evacuation centres were opened yesterday, one each in the Kampar, Hilir Perak and Larut Matang, with the rising water level at the main rivers in the district following continuous rain since Tuesday.
A statement issued by the State Disaster Management Secretariat stated that as noon, 165 people from 55 families have been evacuated to the three relief centres.
In Larut Matang Selama, 64 people (26 families) from three villages – Kampung Temerlok, Kampung Tengah and Kampung Tebok – were evacuated to the relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Temerlok, Trong.
In Kampar, the centre is at Kampung Tebing Tinggi, where 41 people (13 families) from Kampung Tebing Tinggi and Kampung Pulau Pisang were being provided temporary shelter.
In Hilir Perak, the flood evacuees, comprising 57 people (16 families) from Kampung Batu 9, were accommodated at SK Changkat Jong, which was opened at 10am today after the water in Sungai Bidor overflowed its banks. — Bernama