Bandar Seri Begawan - A landslide triggered by recent non-stop rains brought down huge rocks from a hill that badly damaged a two-storey house and parked cars in Spg 582-30, Kg Masin, Mukim Pengkalan Batu in the Brunei-Muara District.

The incident happened in the early hours of Wednesday at around 12.20am when the family was asleep. Eleven people were inside the house at the time of impact including an eight-month-old baby. Nobody was injured in the incident but the traumatic experience has left the family in shock.

The huge rocks that were swept down by the landslide landed right on one of the SUV vehicles parked in front of the entrance to the house. The impact also damaged the car garage and one of the headlights, body and windscreen of another car, as well as other valuable belongings outside the house.

One of the huge rocks also damaged one of the pillars of the house leaving huge cracks outside and inside the house. The house belongs to Awg Hj Md Daud Hj Hitam, former officer at Language and Literature Bureau, who has been residing at the house since 1996.

"Lucky it did not happen in the morning. I dread to think what would have happened to the children as we normally warm up the car engine before sending them to school," said Awg Borhan, son-in-law of Awg Hj Md Daud.

He said this was the second time the house had been hit by a landslide. "Last year the impact was not big and we had reported the matter to the relevant authorities but nothing was done to improve the situation."

Awg Borhan said officers from the Land and Geology Section visited the house and told them that the house was no longer safe for the family to stay. Even though the rains had stopped by Tuesday morning, Awg Borhan said the kind of lashing Brunei received for over three days could have loosened the earth beneath the huge rocks that ultimately came tumbling down on that fateful night.

He said the matter has been reported to the relevant authorities and hoped authorities could provide what ever help and assistance is needed in clearing the area and prevent more such landslides from happening in the future.

Also present at the scene were personnel from the Fire and Rescue and JKR. Mukim Pengkalan Batu village head Awg Moksin bin Hj Kamis also visited the house. The estimated loss was not immediately known.

The family is now staying with their close relatives waiting further direction from authorities concerned. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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