‘River of mud’ in Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands prompts accountability calls

AdvertisementMalaysiaThis Week in AsiaHealth & Environment‘River of mud’ in Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands prompts accountability calls

Environmental NGO calls on authorities to adopt a more responsible approach when granting approvals for development projects in the area

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SCMP’s Asia deskPublished: 5:24pm, 21 Apr 2026A Malaysian NGO is demanding more accountability in project approvals in Cameron Highlands after a two-hour downpour on Monday resulted in a “river of mud” gushing through the main road of a town in the popular hill resort.

A 15-second clip shows waist-high muddy waters, which social media users likened to teh tarik, surging through Ringlet, swallowing the main road and pushing against cars.

Cameron Highlands police chief Azri Ramli said the flood was caused by a heavy downpour that began at 2pm in the hilly terrain.

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“The run-off from hilly areas surged onto the main road, causing flash floods. However, the situation remained under control, and the waters fully receded by around 4pm,” he told Bernama on Monday.

No one was injured but police received reports about vehicles being carried away by strong currents, Azri said.

Social media users pointed to indiscriminate building works as the cause of such floods in the highlands.

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