Saturday, December 11, 2010

Remembering the Highland Towers Tragedy

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:

On December 11, 1993; after 10 continuous days of rainfall, Block 1 of the Highland Towers collapsed.

The Highland Towers were three blocks of 12-story apartment at Ulu Kelang, built in the late 1970s at the western base of a steeply sloped hill, it was later terraced (extensively in the early 1980s) for proposed bungalow developments which were never completed.

Each block was respectively named Block 1 (built first, southern-most), Block 2 (built second, north-northwest of block 1, slightly elevated than the other two, closer in to the hill) and Block 3 (built last, northwest of block 1, west of block 2).

A swimming pool was located between northwest side of Block 2 and northeast rear of Block.

Ten continuous days of rainfall caused the retaining wall at the Tower's car park to fail and this led to a landslide . The landslide swept away the foundation of the building and Block 1 toppled over.

The Highland Towers Tragedy claimed the lives of 48 men, women and children (including an infant).

My involvement...