Thunderstorm damages three schools and hundreds of houses

0

ALOR GAJAH: One hundred and seventeen houses and three schools were damaged when a thunderstorm wreaked havoc in Durian Tunggal early yesterday morning.

The roofs of several houses in Kampung Padang Keladi, Kampung Bukit Balai, Kampung Padang Kerbau and Kampung Pulau were blown off while Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Durian Tunggal, Sekolah Kebangsaan Durian Tunggal and SJK (C) Sin Wah due to strong winds at 5.45am.

Durian Tunggal state assemblyman Datuk Ab Wahab Ab Latip said 18 of the houses in the four villages and SMK Durian Tunggal suffered severe damages.

“Two relief centres were opened in Kampung Padang Keladi and Kampung Bukit Balai to house five families whose houses were severely damaged while 300 students from SMK Durian Tunggal were placed at Dewan Japerun Durian Tunggal for safety purposes,” he told reporters after a meeting here yesterday.

Also present at the meeting was Alor Gajah MP Datuk Koh Nai Kwong.

Ab Wahab said during the incident, a nine year-old student from Kampung Bukit Balai suffered injuries to his head that needed three stitches.

He said the state government would offer families whose houses are damaged, RM2,000 from the disaster fund and provide building material worth RM5,000 from the ‘Mesra Rakyat’ allocation.

InTemerloh, theTengkuMahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah visited 164 victims of a thunderstorm that lashed the Temerloh district and damaged 144 houses at 5.30pm.

Among the villages affected were Kampung Batu Kapor, Kampung Sungai Buluh, Taman Saga, Tanjung Kerayong, Kampung Bongsu, Kampung Paya Siput, Batu 7 Lanchang and Felda Jenderak Utara, Kuala Krau.

Also damaged in the thunderstorm were two multi purpose halls in Kampung Batu Kapor and Kampung Sungai Buloh plus a school hall in Sekolah Kebangsaan Batu Kapor.

Tengku Abdullah said the victims who are currently housed in three relief centres would be offered assistance by the state government, Majlis Ugama Islam and Adat Melayu Pahang (MUIP). — Bernama