IPOH: The storm has come and gone, but the families are living with the emotional and financial aftermath of the disaster.
It has been nearly two weeks since a freak thunderstorm tore through the Bercham neighbourhood here.
The fallen trees have been cleared and electricity restored, but about 460 houses have been damaged, and residents now have to deal with the task of rebuilding their homes, one repair at a time.
“My father’s house is right beside mine. Both our homes were badly affected by the storm. The strong winds tore off our roofs, causing leaks and damaging our furniture,” said supervisor Manjit Singh, 36.
For now, replacing the roof of his home in Anjung Bercham Utara is his priority.
“The cost is too high if we try to repair everything at once,” he said.
Manjit said his parents are currently staying with his sister while repair works are to be carried out.
“My friends have pooled between RM7,000 and RM8,000 to help kick-start the repairs.”
He said the roofing work is scheduled to start on Monday.
Car detailer Sirach Daniel, 28, said he spent about RM8,000 to repair his roof first, while an insurance claim is expected to cover the cost of fixing the remaining damage.
“My tenant stayed with my mother for more than a week after the storm. She moved back once we had installed the new roof,” he said.
Although their routine is gradually returning to normal, he said the experience has left many residents traumatised.
“Every time it rains, we get anxious. It’s the wind that scares us.”
Another resident Abdul Malek Kua Abdullah, 60, said repairing the house would cost about RM30,000.
“So far, we’ve only managed to fix the roof. The awning and the interior of the house are still waiting to be repaired,” said the food vendor. The repairs, he added, would be done in phases.
A freak thunderstorm struck several locations in Bercham on June 19, causing about RM1.2mil in losses and affecting over 1,000 people.
