Traumatic experience to watch roof blown off — Storm victim

KUALA TERENGGANU: It was a traumatic experience for housewife Sarimah Hassan and her children to watch the roof of their house blown off by strong winds in the 3.30pm storm on Monday.

“The sound was very loud, as if something was about to be dislodged yesterday afternoon, and I didn’t think that it was the sound from my roof about to be blown off right before my eyes,” said Sarimah, 39, one of the victims in yesterday’s storm that hit the Tok Randok low-cost public housing scheme, here.

“My husband Mohd Shafie Mohd Amin, 49, was not at home at that time, and due to strong winds and frequent lightning strikes, my children and I sought shelter in an unaffected part of the house and prayed the storm would stop soon,” she said when met by reporters yesterday.

Sarimah said this was the first severe storm she experienced since her family moved into the housing area 20 years ago, and her house was one of the six badly damaged in the incident.

Hulu Terengganu district welfare officer, Nor Azmi Adnan and Ajil assemblyman, Ghazali Taib who is also state Communications, Multimedia and Special Tasks Committee chairman visited the affected families yesterday.

Nor Azmi said he received a report from the Tok Randok Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) at 4.30pm and immediately dispatched the crisis and disaster unit to the location.

“We will also mobilise the trauma unit to identify the victims affected by the incident to receive counselling. In addition, the recovery assistance in the form of clothing and food are also given to all the victims to ease their burden.

“Currently, as many as 32 houses are affected and the number of victims is still being updated while the losses are estimated at RM200,000.

“This matter will be forwarded to the District Disaster Management Committee for further action,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ghazali said the six severely damaged houses would be given immediate aid under the Ajil State Assemblyman office.

“In addition, we will collaborate with the Hulu Terengganu District Office and the Social Welfare Department for allocations be given to 16 families whose homes were not severely damaged in the storm to enable repair works to be carried out soon.

He also gave the assurance that the matter would be resolved in a short time to enable the victims to enjoy Ramadan and the upcoming Hari Raya celebration in comfortable homes. — Bernama