It’s like in the movies, say victims of freak storm in Long Seridan

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BARAM: Single mother Jennifer Puding would forever remember that horrifying Thursday afternoon for the rest of her life.

Dennis (fourth left) assessing the damage at one of the longhouses due to the freak storm.

The solar-powered telecommunication panel also collapsed during the incident.

“We never experienced this kind of freak weather before. It was the first time for us all, having been living in this longhouse for most of our lives,” she said.

Jennifer was among 10 families from two Kelabit longhouses in Long Seridan on the upper reaches here, who were hit by the strong winds that blew the rooftop off 16 ‘biliks’ (quarters) – including a teacher’s room – during the 3.30pm incident on Sept 18.

“I just came back from ‘tebasan’ (farm) and was resting in my bilik when I heard loud gushing, cracking and banging from the jungle across the airstrip. I then went out to check,” Jennifer told The Borneo Post.

Pointing out that the weather was fine when she returned home, Jennifer said she saw something “like a twister” from afar, heading towards the longhouse.

“Suddenly it rained and the size of the raindrop was large – it hurt when it hit me. As I had never seen something like it before, I ran back to my bilik.”

Jennifer stood behind the door on the ground floor for safety. As the tornado got nearer, she felt the whole longhouse was shaking violently.

Then, she heard a loud crack.

“I realised that it was the rooftop being torn off and blown away by the strong winds, leaving the interior open and letting the rainwater gush in,” she said, adding that she and fellow villagers are staying at their kitchens for the time being.

Longhouse dweller Puak Lasong claimed they were hit by two twisters coming from both directions.

“It was as scary as those we saw in the disaster movies. We have never experienced something like this before,” he said, adding that the roofing materials got flown off up to 70m away from the longhouse.

“Some got scattered in the river and across the ravine behind (the longhouse).

“We count our blessings, feeling relieved that there were no injuries and casualties. Luckily also that the debris did not fall and hit my four-wheel drive, which was parked in front,” he said.

An aerial surveillance revealed that the ‘twister’ had flattened the forested area that was within its path leading to the longhouse.

Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, who visited the longhouse recently, said the National Welfare Department would assess the damage and compensations would be disbursed according to losses incurred by every bilik.

“I hope that assistance, either in cash and building materials, would be rendered to these villagers as soon as possible as the storm had left their bilik exposed to the elements,” he noted.