CHERAS: “Landslide, there is a landslide!” was all Rozaimah Marzuki could hear as a neighbour’s frantic cries sent residents scrambling out of their units at Damai Perdana Apartments in Bandar Damai Perdana earlier this week.

The 53-year-old housewife was chatting with her family on the night of the incident when the commotion broke out.

“It was around 8pm when we suddenly heard someone shou­ting that there was a landslide and asking for my husband.

“We rushed out and did not have time to take anything. When we went to look, there were already large cracks on the hillside near the block. We knew it was dange­rous,” she said when met at the location yesterday.

Rozaimah, a resident of Block D, the affected block, is now sta­ying with her son in Block C while residents wait for further instructions on when they can return home.

However, she said the arrangement had brought its own difficulties as the water supply at Block C, which is in the same row as Block D, had been shut off.

She said many affected residents were also staying at a ­nearby community hall.

“There is no timeline yet for when we can return to our homes. It is difficult because we want to go back to our own homes, but we are also worried,” she said.

About 80 residents from 45 units at Block D were ordered to evacuate following the hillside landslide on Sept 22, and a further 120 residents evacuated the next day.

Rozaimah said residents had also been informed at the community hall that they could register to receive about RM1,000 in aid, although they had not been told when the payment would be made.

She also said there had been no obvious signs of an impending landslide before the incident.

For contractor Khairi Hamzah, 56, the incident was an especially close call.

Khairi, who has been stationed in the area for the past two months for painting works, said he had been preparing to install scaffolding at Block D on the afternoon of the incident.

“I moved the scaffolding to the building at around 4pm but had yet to install it.

“That night, I received a call telling me to move it because the land had collapsed.”

Khairi said he was relieved the scaffolding had not been erected as planned as it would have extended towards the road.

“If it had already been installed and people were passing by, I do not know what would have happened,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tan Tian Huat, 60, returned to the area to collect his father’s wheelchair and other belongings.

Tan said his parents, who are in their 90s, have lived there for about 30 years but had never experienced anything like this.

“They are old, so it is difficult for them. Now they are staying with my sister in Old Klang Road. Luckily, there is someone who can take care of them,” said the cook.

On Thursday, Kajang Municipal Council deputy president Mohd Fareez Mohd Ariss @ Mohd Hatta visited the site and inspected the temporary relief centre at Dewan Taman Desa Baiduri in Cheras.

The council said it is monito­ring ground movement at the site with the relevant agencies to prevent any further risks.