Several sections of the federal capital experienced traffic jams following the closure of major roads for clearing works due to landslides and uprooted trees caused by heavy rain last night.

A spokesperson of the Kuala Lumpur Traffic Police Operations Room said several roads were closed in the federal capital including the stretch from Jalan Mahameru to Jalan Tun Razak, and Jalan Sultan Salehuddin behind Bank Negara.

These stretches were closed due to a landslide at Jalan Mahameru at 3am today.

The traffic jam stretching 10 kilometres toward Sungai Besi resulted in many city folks using the route to the city centre arriving late for work.

When contacted, a traffic police spokesperson said the stretch between Jalan Ampang and Bukit Nenas was also closed in both directions following a landslide near the Dang Wangi LRT (light rail transit) station.

He said several traffic police personnel had been deployed at the scenes to control traffic and directing motorists to alternative roads to their destinations.

“Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is carrying out clearing work in the affected areas, including in areas where minor landslides were also reported but the roads there were not closed to traffic, namely in Jalan Kasah at Bukit Damansara and Jalan Klang Lama in Taman Shanghai,” he said.

At 7pm last night, nine cars were buried in a landslide in front of the Dang Wangi LRT Station but no fatality was reported in the incident.

- Bernama