Last Saturday’s storm dislodged the roofing of several school blocks. — Photos: Courtesy of Rozaidi Samad
SMK Sultan Abdul Samad rushing to clean up major storm damage before school reopens next week
AFTER the massive storm last Saturday, the parent-teacher association (PTA) of SMK Sultan Abdul Samad, Petaling Jaya, is raising funds to conduct infrastructure repairs and cleanup.
Photos shared with StarMetro showed the roofing of several blocks had flown off, exposing the classrooms to the elements.
The storm also damaged the covered walkway and the carpark roof, while a billboard on the field had toppled.
Besides trees that collapsed, many potted plants in the school’s common areas were also destroyed.
The school is attended by some 1,300 students, making it among the most populous schools in the Petaling district.
PTA chairman Rozaidi Samad said the association had raised about RM5,000, far short of the RM70,000 to RM100,000 needed for the repairs.
“We used the money to hire a contractor to remove the fallen trees and rent roll-on roll-off bins for the cleanup works.
“We are aiming to finish the cleanup before school reopens next Tuesday,” he told StarMetro.
The covered walkway was also damaged.
In a statement on Facebook, the school said it welcomed donations from individuals, alumni, non-profits and local communities.
A school staff member, who declined to be named, said several classes, a laboratory as well as a piping workshop were badly damaged.
She said several classes would be moved to the library while awaiting repair works on the roof to be completed.
“We will also postpone science experiments and practical classes at the workshop for the time being,” she said.
According to her, the District Education Department had visited the school to assess the damage and estimate the repair costs.
“There are other schools in Petaling Jaya which were affected too,” she said.
The massive storm on Saturday wreaked havoc across the Klang Valley, with many densely populated neighbourhoods in Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya, as well as those in Kuala Lumpur, affected.
Numerous fallen trees were reported, causing obstructions on roads and within residential areas, forcing local authorities to respond swiftly.
No fatalities were recorded.
