CHUKAI: A severe thunderstorm with hailstones damaged 244 houses in Bandar Chukai, Kemaman, all of them located within a 3km radius.
State infrastructure, utilities and rural development committee chairman Hanafiah Mat said the affected homes are located in nine villages, including Kampung Tuan, Kampung Pengkalan Pandan, Kampung Besut, Kampung Gong Limau and Kampung Bakau Tinggi.
Hanafiah, who is also Chukai assemblyman, said seven families were relocated to a temporary relief centre in Kampung Gong Pauh as their homes were severely damaged by the storm.
“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 in the morning.
“The non-governmental organisation Prihatin is supporting these efforts.“Clean-up efforts are under way in schools, assisted by the school authorities, the Khidmat Malaysia NGO and the local community,” he said, Bernama reported.Meanwhile, Terengganu Education Department director Jelani Sulong said seven schools sustained severe damage during the storm around 4pm on Wednesday.
He said the schools are SK Bukit Mentok, SK Seri Kemaman, SK Seri Iman, SMK Sultan Chukai, SMK Sultan Sulaiman, SMK Bukit Mentok and SM Agama Al Falah.
SMA Al Falah, SK Seri Iman and SK Seri Kemaman were granted special closure due to 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.
Jelani added that engineers are currently assessing the damage, and clean-up efforts are under way to ensure lessons can resume by Sunday.
In KUALA NERUS, 18 victims of a hailstorm in Chukai town and the surrounding areas on Wednesday were placed at the temporary relief centre (PPS) at Dewan Sivik Kampung Gong Pauh.
Terengganu welfare, women development, family and national unity committee chairman Maliaman Kassim said the victims are from seven families comprising eight men, six women and four children.
“On Wednesday, the victims received cooked food from the Kemaman Social Welfare Department and yesterday, the food was provided by an NGO.
“All of them are in good and safe condition.
“A man suffered a broken right leg after being hit by a collapsing hut in Pantai Mak Nik and is being treated at Hospital Kemaman,” he said when met at the Fly to KL with Terengganu Orphans programme at Sultan Mahmud Airport yesterday.
