How Did the Paya Terubong Landslide Kill a Man, 73, in Penang?

Quick answer: A landslide struck the back of a house in Paya Terubong, Penang, on the morning of Sunday, 25 October 2026, killing a 73-year-old man. Six neighbouring houses were evacuated and the city council halted a hillside condominium and road project while investigations continue.

Key facts

• What: Landslide striking a house
• Where: No. 1, Lebuh Rambai 13, Taman Seri Rambai, Paya Terubong, Penang, Malaysia
• When: About 8.30am on Sunday, 25 October 2026
• Reported toll: 1 killed
• Emergency response: Penang Fire and Rescue Department, police, district health office and Malaysia Civil Defence Force
• Status: developing — geotechnical reports still pending

What happened

The landslide struck at about 8.30am and hit the back of the two-storey house. The 73-year-old man was in the kitchen when the slope gave way, and concrete from a kitchen wall pinned him, according to Northeast deputy district officer Ismail Suhaimi Syarif, who said he believes the man was having breakfast.

The Penang Fire and Rescue Department received the emergency call at 8.36am, and the Paya Terubong station, about 2km away, responded. Rescuers found the man at about 9am, pinned under concrete at the back of the kitchen. Health Ministry personnel pronounced him dead at 9.10am, and his body was recovered at 11.20am.

Seven fire personnel, including a supervisor, joined the first response, and by the end about 40 personnel from multiple agencies were involved, including police, the district health office and the Malaysia Civil Defence Force.

Six houses evacuated

Officials asked residents of six houses in the row to leave, and they will stay at the Dewan MPKK Paya Terubong. About 15 people are affected. The Public Works Department slope division and the Minerals and Geoscience Department are checking the slope, and authorities will then decide whether the houses are safe.

The ground was still moving in the afternoon, and muddy water ran down the victim's driveway. Workers planned to cover the slope with plastic sheeting from the top. Officials classed the incident as an accident, not a disaster.

City council halts the condo and road works

The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) issued a stop-work order after the landslide, covering a hillside condominium project and roadworks. Mayor Rajendran said the order allows further investigations.

Free Malaysia Today reported that the developer must carry out immediate mitigation works. Paya Terubong assemblyman Wong Hon Wai said it is too early to name a cause, and that the public must await the council and developer findings.

What officials say caused the slope failure

The fire department said details on the cause and the damage to the house were not yet available. Suhaimi's initial findings were that a leaking drainage channel had been eroding the soil, that a blocked drain uphill was also a factor, and that a retaining wall was due for the slope but did not go up in time. The slope lies beside a construction site directly above the row of houses.

These are initial findings, and the geotechnical reports are still pending. The landslide followed overnight rain in Penang, which caused flash floods and fallen trees.

What happens next

Geotechnical reports are pending, and slope checks by the Public Works Department slope division and the Minerals and Geoscience Department will inform whether the evacuated houses are safe. The stop-work order remains in place while investigations continue, and the developer must carry out immediate mitigation works.

Source: Citizens Journal, 25 October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many people died in the Paya Terubong landslide?

One: a 73-year-old man who was in the kitchen of his house when the landslide struck.

Where did the landslide happen?

At No. 1, Lebuh Rambai 13, Taman Seri Rambai, in Paya Terubong, Penang.

Were neighbouring houses affected?

Yes: residents of six houses in the row were asked to leave, affecting about 15 people.

Why was work on the hillside project stopped?

The Penang Island City Council issued a stop-work order covering a hillside condominium project and roadworks, to allow further investigations.

What caused the landslide?

The cause is not yet confirmed. Initial findings point to a leaking drainage channel eroding the soil, a blocked drain uphill and a retaining wall that had not been built in time; geotechnical reports are still pending.