Erosion issue affecting Canada Hill to be addressed promptly, assures MCC
MIRI: The Miri City Council ( MCC) is going all out in addressing erosion problem at Jalan Bukit Telaga Minyak.
According to Miri Mayor Adam Yii, the construction of a retaining wall has been proposed to prevent the area from further erosion.
In this regard, a gabion – a structural reinforcement that comes in a form of either a cage, cylinder or blocks tightly packed with rocks, concrete and soil – would be built not only to counter erosion, but also to stabilise the ground in that area.
“The proposed gabion would be an interim measure. As a longterm plan, we will appoint a consultant to carry out a detailed study, complete with the necessary design for slope stabilisation. There is a possibility of using crib walls or RC (reinforced- concrete) retaining wall with micro piles.
“Due to the urgency, the MCC has called for snap quotations to close the tender for the remedial works this Jan 11,” he told reporters after visiting the erosion-hit area on Canada Hill yesterday.
It is learnt that MCC had earlier called for the retaining wall to be constructed using ‘ belian’ (ironwood) sheet pile but this could not proceed due to certain technical issues.
In addition, Yii said MCC would also look into the possibility of building an alternative access – a road connecting Canada Hill with Taman Hillstone.
On Dec 13 last year, half of the road caved in after a slope on Canada Hill collapsed due to erosion.
Just recently, a landslide hit the hillslope at Kampung Haji Wahed.
The MCC had ordered for the exposed area to be temporarily covered with tarpaulin sheets to prevent it from further erosion, which could be triggered at any time due the current monsoon season.
Yii was accompanied by MCC secretary Morshidi Frederick during the visit.