The latest landslide tragedy which claimed eight lives in Taman Hillview, Kuala Lumpur, highlights the need for the government to set up an agency to look into causes of natural disasters, said a prominent geologist today.

A senior fellow of the Institute for Environment and Development Prof Ibrahim Komoo said the body should specifically be set up to investigate why natural disasters such as landslides, floods and soil erosions occur.

"So far, no agency has been looking into the (causes of the landslides). When a tragedy occurs, various agencies help out but...none have the main objective of looking at the causes of the landslide, he said when contacted.

"There is the Ampang Jaya City Council (MPAJ) but it is uncertain whether they have sufficient resources to do this," added the geologist who is involved in a separate study of the soil conditions around the Highland Towers complex which collapsed in 1993, killing 48 people.

Yesterday's landslide destroyed the home of Affin Bank chairperson Ismail Omar which was located at the lower slopes of Bukit Antarabangsa in Ampang. Eight people, including two domestic workers, were killed.

The former armed forces chief's wife Azizah Abdul Aziz, 57, son-in law Shamsul Azahar Shafie, 35, son Ahmad Ijaz, 37 and his wife Zaradino Zaini together with their children Johan, one and Zurian Aishah, five, perished in the pre-dawn incident.