DATUK SITI NURHALIZA TARUDIN STUNNED BY 4 AM CALL

KUALA LUMPUR: It was about 4am when singer Datuk Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin was awakened from her sleep by a call from her cousin.

Her relative was living at house No.10, Jalan Bukit Antarabangsa where the landslide had occurred.

“He was crying and was really scared. His house wasn’t badly affected but his neighbours were,” she said when met outside her home in Bukit Antarabangsa yesterday.

Siti Nurhaliza’s husband Datuk Seri Khalid Mohd Jiwa went over and what he saw shocked him.

“House No.13 was pushed all the way to where house No.11 was, two lots away,” he said.

Siti Nurhaliza added that her cousin was not hurt and would be staying with her for the time being.

When asked if she would continue to stay in the area, she said her home was relatively safe because there was no slope behind it.

Marketing manager Nor Elmie Abd Hamid, 39, was still awake when a loud noise startled her at about 3am.

“When the electricity went out along with the loud noise, I knew something was wrong,” she said.

When she went out to check, Nor Elmie who lives in the Impian Selatan Condo located across the affected bungalows, saw that the landslide had practically reached her doorstep.

“I was really worried for my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Zulaiqa Myra,” she said.

She added that she saw two survivors crawling out from under the rubble – an old lady and a little girl.

“My husband and I tried to console some of the survivors. After that we packed up. We are going to stay at my mother-in-law’s place in Kampung Baru for the next few days until things clear up,” she said.

Nor Elmie said at one point she thought it was the end of the world.

Student Joe Lim, 18, said he was awakened at about 3am by loud noises but went back to sleep.

“I woke up again after 7am and saw that my neighbours had tried calling me 20 times on my mobile phone,” he said.

Lim said he was shocked to see the road in front of his house, Jalan Wangsa 9, half gone.

The Sunway University College student then immediately packed up some clothes and other basic necessities. He said he’ll be staying in his rented room in Sunway for the time being.

Many families were seen carrying bags and luggage as they left the area, seeking sanctuary somewhere safer.