KEMAMAN: Boutique owner Muniza Ibrahim thought she was staring death in the face when a freak thunderstorm damaged 417 houses and uprooted trees in Kampung Jabor Kubur here on Saturday.
The 20-minute storm ripped off 15 tiles from the 32-year-old’s house and her adjoining wedding boutique, leaving a trail of damage to the houses in its wake.
Fortunately, none of the residents were injured in the thunderstorm which occurred about 1.30pm.
“I thought it was the end for me … as it rained heavily and the wind blew with such force that several trees nearby were uprooted.
“Just then, I saw a whirlwind moving towards the village’s Muslim cemetery, about 10 metres from my house. I feared for the worst.
“At that juncture, I could only summon enough strength to pray to God for help to keep my family and the residents safe from harm,” she told reporters at the village here yesterday.
Another resident, Mohamad Syukri Abdullah, 37, said the storm left his belongings and furniture soaking wet as several tiles of his house were ripped off or damaged.
“It was an unforgetable ordeal. The thunderstorm was the first of its kind to hit our village,” he said.
Housewife Juliani Manaf, 33, recalled seeing “a black wind swirling towards the sky, similar to what I used to watch in television documentaries”.
Meanwhile, Kemaman Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said RM500 each would be given to each affected family in the village.
“The Kemaman Social Welfare Department would evaluate the damage to provide further aid to the victims,” said Ahmad Shabery, who is also youth and sports minister. — Bernama