International Journal of Environmental Science and Development

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.

Index Terms—Development projects, intense rainfall, prevention, risks, slope failure, soil erosion.

Syabiha Shith and Nor Azam Ramli are with the Environmental Assessment and Clean Air Research, School of Civil Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300, Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia (e-mail: syabihashith@gmail.com, ceazam@usm.my).
Muhammad Rizal Razman is with the Pusat Penyelidikan Sains & Governans Kelestarian (SGK), Institut Alam Sekitar & Pembangunan (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM, Bangi Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia (e-mail: mrizal@ukm.edu.my).
Amni Umirah Mohamad Nazir is with the Faculty of Earth Science, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Kampus Jeli, Locked Bag No. 100, 17600, Jeli, Kelantan, Malaysia (e-mail: nurummie274@gmail.com).
Nazatul Syadia Zainordin is with the Faculty of Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia (e-mail: nazatulsyadia@upm.edu.my).
Wesam Al Madhoun is with the Micro-Pollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Johor, Malaysia (e-mail: wesam@uthm.edu.my).

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Cite: Syabiha Shith, Nor Azam Ramli, Muhammad Rizal Razman, Amni Umirah Mohamad Nazir, Nazatul Syadia Zainordin, and Wesam Al Madhoun, "Procedural Effects of Environment Impact Assessment on Controlling Natural Disaster (Landslides and Flashflood) Based on Environmental Degradation from Development in Malaysia," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 12, no. 9, pp. 274-281, 2021.

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