1 January 2017

Tumpat-Kuala Lipis: A landslide induced train derailment in Malaysia

Posted by Dave Petley

Tumpat-Kuala Lipis: A landslide induced train derailment in Malaysia

Heavy rainfall in Malaysia over the last few days has triggered at least nine landslides on the Tumpat-Kuala Lipis railway line in Malaysia.  The line will be closed for at least a week.  One of these landslides derailed a train, fortunately travelling at a low speed.  The 1Malaynews blog has a report in Malay, although as ever Google Translate does a fine job:

…commenting on the landslide that resulted in an intercity train from Tumpat to Kuala Lipis derailed this morning, Zaid said the incident occurred near Station Kuala Gris, Dabong.

“The train departed from Tumpat station at 4.30am heading to Kuala Lipis. When arriving in a tunnel, the train driver noticed landslides and stopped the train.  However, while reversing the train, sudden landslides and struck the train, causing it to slide off the track,” he said.  He said, however, that all 33 passengers and 4 crew were unhurt.  “All the passengers and 4 crew was then walk 2 kilometers to Kuala Gris Station before being transferred by bus to Dabong Station.

The same site has a couple of images of the incident and the landslides:

Tumpat-Kuala Lipis railway line

One of the landslides on the Tumpat-Kuala Lipis railway line, via the 1Malaynews blog

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Tumpat-Kuala Lipis railway line

The derailed train on the Tumpat-Kuala Lipis railway line in Malaysia, via the 1MalayNews blog

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Examples of other landslides on railway lines