PETALING JAYA: A major landslide occurred at the popular Bukit Larut yesterday following heavy rain over the last few days in Taiping.
The Taiping municipal council (MPT), in a post on its Facebook page, advised hikers to be cautious and report any further incidents to them.
The landslide occurred just before the Tea Garden stop which is at the half-way point up the hill.
The council said any updates on the situation will be posted on its Facebook page.
The Bukit Larut tourism centre posted on its Facebook page that some of its employees were left stranded due to the landslide.
It said the group were coming down the hill on the only access road when the landslide occurred at about 3pm yesterday and blocked their way.
Bukit Larut, or Maxwell Hill as it was previously known, has several rest houses and old colonial-era bungalows which are maintained by the council and are available for rent.
There is only one access road and it is restricted to four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles and foot travel due to the steep and narrow nature of the road. No private vehicles are allowed up the road.
Following a landslide in 2019, the access road has been closed to all vehicles, however, hiking is still allowed for those who wish to go up the hill.
Last month, Perak tourism committee chairman Loh Sze Yee was reported to have said that the hill can only be opened for the 4WD vehicles again after the public works department (JKR) completes repairing the slopes to prevent further landslides affecting the road.
He said a tender to repair the remaining slopes would be called this month.
“The work is estimated to cost RM8 million and is expected to be completed by 2025,” Loh told the state assembly in Ipoh.
According to biodiversity reports, the hill is home to 621 highland plant species which accounts for 20.4% of the overall highland plant species found in Peninsular Malaysia. The area receives the highest rainfall in Malaysia with precipitation reaching up to 5,800mm (230 inches) annually.
