KUALA TERENGGANU: About 100 traders near the Drawbridge here suffered losses after their stalls were damaged in a storm that occurred around 2:30pm Thursday (July 10).
A char kuey teow seller at the location, Muhammad Zikri Mohd Noor, 31, said the incident happened while he was preparing ingredients at his home in Kampung Gelugor Kedai to start his business.
However, Muhammad Zikri said he and other traders were quite fortunate as the damages caused only affected the tent structures and not their merchandise.
"At the time of the incident, I was at home in Kampung Gelugor Kedai, preparing equipment and sales items to start business around 4pm. After hearing the news, I rushed there (Drawbridge) and found almost all the stalls, chairs, and tables set up for customers scattered and in disarray," he said when met at the Drawbridge sales site.
Muhammad Zikri said that this was the second time he had incurred losses due to a storm within the last two weeks. He added that the unpredictable weather conditions forced traders to face risks due to sudden strong winds and heavy rain.
"We are aware that our business location, being next to the beach, is indeed risky. But that's the only option we have. Today I lost about RM500 because the tent can no longer be used; I have to buy a new one. Last week, my tent was also damaged by a storm, but the loss was smaller because it only involved the tent canopy fabric," he explained.
Meanwhile, coffee and popiah (spring roll) seller, Tuah Taib, 59, from Bukit Payong in Marang, said he had to spend about RM350 to repair his broken stall poles.
"Throughout my three years of trading here, this is the third time I've suffered losses due to a storm. Today we were quite lucky because the incident happened early; our merchandise was still in the car and hadn't been taken out yet," he said.
Despite the risks, he chooses to continue trading at the Drawbridge sales site due to its strategic location and popularity among tourists, especially during weekends and holidays. - Bernama
