GEORGE TOWN: As the nation braces for more bad weather, a storm in Penang on Monday night damaged about 450 homes in Balik Pulau, sending some 200 out of their homes into relief centres.

Teluk Bahang assemblyman Datuk Shah Headan Ayoob Hussain Shah said the worst hit places were villages in Sungai Rusa and Permatang Pasir where 240 and 120 homes respectively had been damaged. Other affected villages were in Sungai Pinang, Kuala Jalan Baru, Jalan Baru, Kuala Sungai Rusa and Pantai Acheh, he said.

“Based on reports from local Federal Village Development and Security Committee (JKKKP) heads, we have records that 441 homes had been damaged.

“This is only what we have heard so far. We have yet to hear from everyone. The number can easily hit over 500,” he told reporters in Sungai Rusa, Balik Pulau, yesterday.

The storm uprooted trees, including large ones, and tore the roof off village houses. Shah Headan said it was so strong that the wind even sent motorcyclists off their machines. “We have never experienced wind that strong. It felt like it was blowing 80kph to 100kph. You could feel it while driving in your car. You could even catch a glimpse of it ... greyish in colour.

“An old man here told me he thought it was 1967 all over again when Balik Pulau was hit by a storm that lifted a house and sent it crashing into the jungle,” he said.

According to the Meteorological Department, the wind had a speed of 50kph.

Following the incident, Shah Headan said three relief centres had been set up at Masjid Jamek Sungai Rusa, Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Rusa and his service centre. He said victims, who lost their homes, were moved to the centres when the storm blew over about 2.30am.—The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on December 31, 2014.