THE rock fall at the Perak cave temple (“2 injured in rock fall at Perak cave temple” — NST, Jan 12) must have been frightening for those who experienced it.

It was fortunate that more serious devastation did not occur, even though two people were seriously injured and a man is still missing.

The recent heavy rain in Ipoh may have created instability in the rocks.

Another significant contributory factor could be the blasting operations in nearby quarries. Maybe, there should be a rule on the minimum distance for these quarries to be sited away from cave temples.

I hope that the authorities will conduct their investigations with all possible speed and the results be made public soon.

In the meantime, simple measures could be initiated, like observing if there is rock-fall debris strewn about the cave floor or near the entrance or outside the caves.

These must surely be an indication of instability in the rocks.

If this rock debris is seen, then the cave should be closed and not reopened till the stability of the rocks has been ascertained by the Geological Sciences Department.

I also hope that in the wake of this latest rock fall, safety checks are carried out immediately on the other cave temples (e.g. Kek Lok, Sam Poh Tong) and cave attractions (Gua Tempurung, Gua Tambun cave paintings site). This action may serve to reassure the public.

Apart from our cave temples being favoured places of worship, they are also where Ipoh people go for quiet contemplation and happily for us, they also constitute one of our most popular tourist attractions.

We do not need a terrible incident like this to prevent our worshippers from frequenting them and also scare away visitors from our city.

Source: NST – January 16, 2009