KUALA LUMPUR: A whirlwind and heavy rain for nearly half an hour have caused several trees to fall on five houses in Batu 11, Gombak here yesterday.
A victim, Mazenah Ahmad, 58, said she and her child, as well as her sister Masitah Ahmad, were at home and saw the whirlwind causing trees and electric poles to collapse.
“The wind was so strong and it was raining heavily, uprooting the trees near our houses.
“At that time, we could not do anything other than recite prayers and my child was calling the azan out of fear,” she told Bernama when met here yesterday.
Eight people were reportedly injured in the 5pm incident and were sent to the Selayang Hospital, Orang Asli Hospital in Gombak and Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment.
Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari spent about an hour visiting 63 other victims from 16 affected families who were housed at a temporary relief centre at the Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA) Multipurpose Hall in Batu 12 here this morning.
He said the state government, in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department, had provided initial aid to the victims and will be assessing the damages to their houses.
“We have handed initial aid of RM500 to each family, while for houses damaged by the fallen trees, we will provide aid and assistance accordingly,” he said. – Bernama
