The roof of a kitchen in a house at Kampung Sim-Sim, Sandakan, was ripped off after a waterspout struck the water village on Monday afternoon.
WHEN it comes to unpredictable weather, waterspouts can be both fascinating and dangerous.
Imagine seeing one tear through your neighbourhood, leaving a trail of destruction.
This was the reality for residents of Sandakan's Kampung Sim-Sim in Sabah.
Did a waterspout really cause damage there?
VERDICT:
TRUE
Roofs were sent flying as a waterspout tore through Sandakan’s Kampung Sim-Sim on Monday afternoon, damaging three houses in the water village.
The incident, which occurred at around 3.30pm, left residents shaken but fortunately caused no injuries.
The worst-hit house is located at Jambatan 4, Lot 65 and suffered severe roof damage, particularly in the kitchen and living room areas.
A section of a metal roof was blown onto a neighbouring house following the waterspout, which damaged three homes in Kampung Sim-Sim.
Two other homes at Jambatan 5—Lot 87 and Lot 79A—also sustained damage, mainly to their outdoor roofing structures.
According to a preliminary report from the Sandakan Civil Defence Force (APM), no temporary evacuation centre has been opened, but authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
APM and local village leaders were among the first responders at the scene, and
one officer, six personnel, and two vehicles to assess the damage and provide assistance.
Intan Elfyrza Norlansya, 23, a resident of the worst-affected house, described the terrifying moment the waterspout struck.
"The wind came at around 3.20pm, just as the azan (call to prayer) was being called. We were in the kitchen making cookies when we suddenly heard a loud roar of wind. We rushed outside immediately," she said.
She said they then saw their roof being ripped off and blown onto a neighbouring house before being carried further away.
The roof of a house in Kampung Sim-Sim, Sandakan, was torn apart by strong winds after a waterspout hit the area, leaving parts of the structure exposed.
"The wind was very strong but lasted less than a minute. We often experience strong winds here, but we never expected this to happen to our house," she added.
While the walls of the house remained intact, the roof over their kitchen, living room, and one of the bedrooms was completely gone, exposing them to the elements.
"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," she said.
The family, who runs a small home-based business selling curry puffs and pastries to local schools, said the disaster had also disrupted their operations.
"This is our business space too. We were preparing orders for Hari Raya, but now we might have to stop for a while," she said, adding that they were hoping for some financial assistance to repair the damage.
Meanwhile, authorities have advised residents to remain cautious as unpredictable weather conditions persist.
