PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A landslide has
blocked all lanes in both directions on the Karak Highway in
Malaysia, the main highway that connects the capital Kuala Lumpur
to Genting Highlands and other parts of Pahang state.
"It's at KM52.2 at Bukit Tinggi. It's the really watery kind of
mud. So all lanes in all directions are currently being
obstructed," said head of traffic from the Star Radio Media Group
Priscilla Patrick.
For now, traffic heading towards Kuala Lumpur is stuck in a 3km
standstill, with a 1km crawl heading towards Bentong.
"I just spoke to officials - there are some cars that are buried
in this landslide, so it's not looking good. It's not going to
clear up till midnight, I think it's going to go on till morning,"
she added.
As an alternative, road users can exit off at Bukit Tinggi or
Bentong, or use trunk roads to bypass the congestion.
Drivers travelling between Kuala Lumpur and Kuantan will be
diverted to through Bahau.
"The only route that people from the east coast can come into KL
is via Bahau," said Ms Patrick.
Drivers coming from the east coast will have to exit off at
Gambang, head to Muadzam Shah, then to Bahau, and then through
Kuala Pilah to come back up to Kuala Lumpur.
The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) tweeted that drivers
coming from Kuala Lumpur can make a U-turn at KM29.3 to head back
to the city for alternative routes.
"Bentong police confirmed a lot of trees have come crashing from
that forest at Lentang, on the trunk roads and on this road as
well," said Ms Patrick.
"So the access between KL and the east coast and the Karak
highway is a no go," she added.