Nearly 80% of the roof at SMA Al-Falah in Chukai was blown of during the hailstorm on Wednesday (Oct 23). - Photo: Bernama
CHUKAI: A severe thunderstorm with hailstones damaged 244 houses in within a 3km radius of Bandar Chukai, Kemaman on Wednesday (Oct 24).
State infrastructure, utilities and rural development committee chairman Hanafiah Mat said the affected homes were located in nine villages, including Kampung Tuan, Kampung Pengkalan Pandan, Kampung Besut, Kampung Gong Limau and Kampung Bakau Tinggi.
The Chukai assemblyman noted that seven families had been relocated to the Temporary Relief Centre in Kampung Gong Pauh due to severe damage to their homes.
"The other affected villages are Kampung Kubang Kurus, Kampung Jalan Dato, Kampung Besut 2 and Kampung Gong Pauh. We deployed 17 contractor teams to repair the damaged houses this morning. The non-governmental organisation Prihatin is supporting these efforts.
"Meanwhile, cleanup efforts are underway in schools, assisted by the school authorities, Khidmat Malaysia (an NGO) and the local community," he said.
In a related development, Terengganu Education director Jelani Sulong said that seven schools sustained severe damage during the storm around 4pm on Wednesday.
According to him, the schools affected were SK Bukit Mentok, SK Seri Kemaman, SK Seri Iman, SMK Sultan Chukai, SMK Sultan Sulaiman, SMK Bukit Mentok and SMA Al Falah.
SMA Al Falah, SK Seri Iman and SK Seri Kemaman have been granted special closure due to the extensive damage to their buildings, he added.
"The department has submitted an emergency funding request to the Education Ministry to repair the damage at the seven affected schools,” he said when contacted.
Engineers are currently assessing the damage, and cleanup efforts are underway to ensure lessons can resume by Sunday.
Meanwhile, Terengganu welfare, women's development, family and national unity committee chairman Maliaman Kassim said the seven evacuated families comprised 18 indidivuals - eight men, six women and four children.
"Yesterday, the victims received cooked food aid from the Kemaman Social Welfare Department, while today, it is understood that assistance will be managed by an NGO.
"All of them are in good condition but one man suffered a broken right leg after being hit by a collapsing hut in Pantai Mak Nik and is being treated at Kemaman Hospital," he said.
He said this when met at the Fly to KL with Terengganu Orphans programme at Sultan Mahmud Airport here Thursday. – Bernama
