ULU KLANG — 1993 · Major Tragedy
The Highland Towers Collapse
On the afternoon of 11 December 1993 Block 1, a 12-storey tower of the three-block Highland Towers housing complex in Ulu Klang near Kuala Lumpur, collapsed after a landslide triggered by days of heavy rain. Investigations found that land clearing on the slope behind the buildings and an inadequate drainage system had weakened the hillside. Forty-eight people were killed; rescue operations lasted for days. The other two blocks were evacuated for safety and stood abandoned for years. In lengthy civil cases residents sought compensation from the developers and authorities; in 2006 the Federal Court ruled that the local council could not be held liable. The disaster had a profound effect on hillside construction and building-safety regulation in Malaysia.
- Date
- 1993
- Place
- Selangor, Malaysia, Ulu Klang, MY
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 3.1810, 101.7580 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 11 December 1993After heavy rain, Highland Towers Block 1 collapsed in a landslide.
- December 1993Rescue work ended; 48 deaths were confirmed.
- 1990s–2000sResidents sued developers and authorities for compensation.
- 2006The Federal Court ruled the council could not be held liable.
Sources
- The Star — Preserve memory of those who perished thestar.com.my ↗
- Wikipedia — Highland Towers collapse en.wikipedia.org ↗
- The Star
- Wikipedia
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.