Pried open: The inside of a house with the roof torn off at Kampung Sim-Sim in Sandakan, Sabah.
KOTA KINABALU: Intan Elfyrza Norlansya was baking Hari Raya cookies with her family when the strong gusts from a waterspout tore off the roof of their house and damaged two others in Kampung Sim-Sim, Sandakan.
“The winds came at around 3.20pm on Monday, just as the call to prayer was starting.
“We were in the kitchen making cookies when we suddenly heard the winds roaring and rushed outside,” said the 23-year-old.
Standing outside their house, the family watched as the winds ripped off the roof of their kitchen, living room and one of the bedrooms.
“The winds were very strong but lasted less than a minute. We often experience strong winds here, but we never expected this to happen to our house.
“For now, we will stay in the part of the house that is still intact. If the weather worsens, we will move to a relative’s house,” Intan Elfyrza said.
She said the disaster has also disrupted operations of her family’s home-based business making curry puffs and pastries for local schools.
“This was our business space too. We were preparing orders for Hari Raya, but now we might have to stop,” she said, adding that they were hoping for financial assistance to repair their house.
The Sandakan Civil Defence Force (APMM) said they had deployed one officer, six personnel and two vehicles to the area to assess the damage and provide assistance.
Besides Intan Elfyrza’s house, the winds also damaged the roofs of two other houses, the APMM said in a statement.
No temporary evacuation centre has been opened, but authorities are closely monitoring the situation, the agency added.
Authorities have advised residents to remain cautious as unpredictable weather conditions persist.
