12. Highland Towers, Selangor, Malaysia
Built: 1974-1982
Collapsed: 1993
Est. Damages: Unknown
On October 11, 1993, the residents of the 12-story Highland Towers Block 1 apartments were caught unaware, when heavy rains resulted in the diversion pipes, from the hill behind the towers, to burst. The result was more the 3.5 million cubic feet of mud pushing Block 1’s foundation forward. A few days later, the building collapsed.
Highland Towers, Selangor, Malaysia @kpkt_gov / Twitter.com
An 11-day search and rescue followed the disaster, but only 2 people were found alive in the wreckage of Block 1 and, sadly, 48 lives were lost. After the collapse, Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister called for all high-rise buildings to be inspected in order to ensure they were safe to occupy.