Highland Towers collapse
The Highland Towers collapse occurred on 11 December 1993 in Taman Hillview, Ulu Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. Tower Block 1 collapsed from a major landslide caused by heavy rains that burst diversion pipes. The Highland Towers consisted of three 12-storey buildings or "blocks". The collapse of Block 1 resulted in 48 deaths. Residents of the other two blocks and neighbouring establishments were evacuated due to safety concerns.
The surviving Blocks 2 and 3 of the Highland Towers in 2008, similar in design to the collapsed Block 1. | |
| Date | 11 December 1993 |
|---|---|
| Time | 1:35 pm MST (Saturday afternoon) |
| Location | Highland Towers, Taman Hillview, Ulu Klang, Selangor, Malaysia |
| Cause | Landslide caused by continuous rainfall over the course of 2 weeks |
| Deaths | 48 |
The Highland Towers complex was built in phases between 1974 and 1982. It was constructed at the western base of a steeply sloped hill, terraced extensively in the early 1980s. Block 1 was the southernmost building, Block 2 was built north-northwest of Block 1, and Block 3 was built west of Block 2. The towers were home to affluent middle-class families; a sizeable percentage of the residents were expatriates.