Abstract
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a preemptive tool used by engineers, environmental consultants and planners to avoid the most likely adverse consequences of development projects. As a planning tool, EIA should curb the harmful effects from all stages of a project lifecycle. Landslides and flash floods are the most common problems faced by Malaysians almost yearly due to rapid development, especially that involving modification of watercourses, clearing of land and projects on hill slopes. Despite such issues, existing legislation and new guidelines have been enacted by the Malaysian government and must be followed by any proposing project team before starting development projects. The Department may have accepted an EIA report of the project. Still, several developments may have neglected the guidelines, especially during construction involving earthworks and exposure of the surrounding environment, place and people to a high risk of disaster caused by mishaps and accidents. The incidence of landslides and flash floods as reported in newspapers, journals, reports and books since 1919 is explored in this study to determine the details of the losses and locations. Despite the enactment of the new EIA law, landslides and flash floods continue to occur. This situation justifies the need to revise the approach based on sizes and include other factors, namely, the risk indices for disaster to happen and the effectiveness of EIA in reducing disaster risks in projects.
Highlights
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an operational procedure to prevent, reduce and control the adverse effectsManuscript received March 12, 2021; revised June 8, 2021
The project proponents aim to draw best practicable environment options from the assessment, include them in the EIA report with details of mitigation measures needed before the approval and implementation of a project [1]-[4]
Prescribed activities that could cause landslides and flash floods in Malaysia are listed in both schedules of EQPAEIAO2015
Summary
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an operational procedure to prevent, reduce and control the adverse effects. The best practice in environmental protection should evaluate the most probable risks arising from all development activities at all project stages [9], including master plans and programmes and policies. The effectiveness of the EIA report currently or recently submitted in addressing the disaster risks of development projects has not been widely studied. Albeit regulated, such developments, especially during land clearing and construction phases, pose dangers of environmental disasters, i.e. flash floods and landslides, to the public. Prescribed activities that could cause landslides and flash floods in Malaysia are listed in both schedules of EQPAEIAO2015. Numerous other guidelines and regulations are related to slope management from the following governmental and private agencies
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