More than 100 houses damaged due to thunderstorm in Penaga

KEPALA BATAS: More than 100 houses in Penaga here were damaged during a thunderstorm today.
The roof of most of the houses were ripped off in the incident which occurred at about 4.30am while most of the occupants were preparing for the "sahur" (pre-dawn meal).
Penaga assemblyman Datuk Mohd Zain Ahmad visited the area and advised residents whose houses were damaged to lodge a police report to facilitate channelling of aid.
He said the relevant agencies, like the Social Welfare Department and the Implementation and Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister's Department would assess the damage to the houses so that immediate aid could be given to the victims.
The thunderstorm damaged 100 houses in 12 areas in Penaga, including Taman Penaga, Bakar Kapur, Kuala Muda, Kampung Pasir Gebu, and Permatang Rawa, he told reporters here.
One of the victims, Jalina Hassan, 47, of Taman Penagam said she was preparing the pre-dawn meal for her husband and two children when there was strong wind and heavy rain and then the roof at the front portion of the house was ripped apart.
"We did not have time to take the meal and ran to the back room at the house for safety. Only after the rainstorm subsided did we come out of the room. Hari Raya is approaching and now our house is damaged," said the housewife.
Another victim, Shukri Muin, 45, of Kampung Tepi Laut, Bakar Bata, said his house was badly damaged, especially the kitchen and two rooms.
The house roof was also ripped, said the labourer. — Bernama