TANJUNG KARANG, May 11 (Bernama) — With everything spick-and-span after spending nearly RM25,000 on house renovations before the Aidilfitri celebration, Kamsiah Sanusi, 65, never guessed she would have to cough out more for repairs after her home was damaged in a storm early this morning.

“I just finished repairing the front of the house two days before Aidilfitri, I didn’t expect the kitchen roof to be blown away by the storm this morning,” she said tearfully.

Recalling the gale-force winds which struck suddenly at around 2 am today, Kamsiah said the hour-long storm was one of the worst she and her neighbours had ever faced in Kampung Sawah Sempadan, as well as nearby villages such as Kampung Sungai Burong and Kampung Sungai Sireh.

“When the storm broke, I was asleep with my sick mother. Suddenly very strong winds and rain came non-stop. My mother was sleeping near the kitchen when the roof went flying with the gusts.

“I quickly moved my mother and was only able to huddle with my two children, hoping the wind would subside quickly. But rainwater started filling the house up to ankle level,” she recalled.

She estimated that more than 10 houses in the village were affected by the storm, most of which had their roofing damaged.

Another resident, Mahadi Hasmeon, 56, said he never thought his house would be hit this time, as all this while, he was spared while his village neighbours experienced the worst.

“In my whole life here, this is the first time the roof of my mother’s ancestral house was ripped off, but it is not as bad as other people’s houses,” he said.

Meanwhile, Salleh Mustaram, 86, said the rainstorm early today was the worst for him, as only the roof of his kitchen was left intact, leaving some semblance of shelter for his family.

“During the storm, I could hear the roar of heavy rain and without realising it, the roof at the front and middle of the house were all blown away by the strong wind, falling right next to the house. Only the ceiling of the house remained, before it soon started leaking due to heavy rain.

“Currently, my wife, two children and I are quite ‘homeless’ and we are forced to live in the kitchen area which is still holding, but I hope it will not rain tonight because it can only get worse,” he said.

Earlier today, the ‘I Love Tanjong Karang’ Facebook page was filled with posts on the heavy storm with locals sharing photos and videos about the condition of their houses damaged in the incident.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency