Deadly blow: Aftermath of the scene where the Chinese tourists were trapped in a car when a tree fell on it in Pinang Peranakan Mansion in Lebuh Gereja. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Business operators at popular tourist spots are doing reasonably well despite the adverse weather conditions.
many reported good crowds at Chew Jetty,, with only brief interruptions during intermittent rain and strong winds.
Chew Chin Chuan, 48, who runs two souvenir shops, noticed that tourists would return as soon as the rain stopped.
“Business went down a bit when it rained as some tourists feel uncomfortable with wet feet.
“Despite the challenging weather, visitors are still out shopping and enjoying the area as it’s the school holidays.
“Families want to make the most of their time together and have some fun,” he said, adding that most tourists seemed determined to explore the island’s rich culture, vibrant street food and historic sites.
Cheah Kai Jun, 25, who works at an ice-cream and dessert stall along the jetty, said business would resume quickly when the rain stopped.
“It always happens once a year around this season, but the past two days have seen extra high tides.
“The water did enter the houses but it is not too bad. Overall, business has been quite good,” he said.
Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm chief executive officer Joseph Goh said they have not felt a dip in the number of visitors as it is the school holiday season.
“We are doing fine despite the windy conditions.
“It is just inconvenient because of the rain, but once they come indoors, it is all good,” he said.
Penang has been lashed by storms since Sunday, with fallen trees reported all over the state, bringing traffic to a crawl on certain major roads.
On Wednesday, a father and daughter – both tourists from China – were crushed to death when strong winds toppled a clump of ornamental bamboo and fig trees onto their car at Pinang Peranakan Mansion.
A check yesterday found that the tourist spot was still open to visitors because only the compound was affected.
Elsewhere, tourists were spotted flocking to major tourist hotspots in the heritage enclave.
Mohd Yazer Mohd Yahya, 48, was seen visiting the Pinang Peranakan Mansion with his wife and four kids, even though he was aware of Wednesday’s tragedy.
“It was an unfortunate incident. We are from Kuala Lumpur and this is our second stop after Perlis.
“We have been stuck in four different places due to fallen trees. It has been occurring all over and it cannot be helped.
“It has been pouring in Penang as well but so far we have managed to cover all the activities on our itinerary.
“We went up Penang Hill today despite the downpour,” said the manager.
In a related development, Tourism Malaysia deputy chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin said the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Penang has reached out to its counterparts in Heilongjiang province to locate the family of the two tourists who were crushed to death.
He will liaise with relevant government departments to facilitate the handling of the remains of Liu Zhu, 59, and Liu Xinxin, 36.
The driver of the car in the incident, a local woman who wanted to be known only as Har, 52, sustained bruises.
