IPOH, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- More than 35 houses were damaged by a storm accompanied by strong winds in several areas in the Larut, Matang and Selama district today.
The district’s Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) officer Captain (PA) Ahmad Fakhrur Razi Md Noor said his department received a report of the incident at about 3.30 pm from the Matang Subdistrict Penghulu Office.
“Initial investigations found that the incident was caused by heavy rain accompanied by strong winds that lasted for about an hour from 3 pm.
“The severe weather caused the roofs of several houses to be blown off, while trees were uprooted in several villages around the Matang subdistrict,” he told Bernama today.
Ahmad Fakhrur said 12 APM personnel, supported by three operational vehicles and five chainsaws, were deployed to the affected areas to conduct monitoring and clean-up operations.
He said the operation was also carried out in collaboration with other rescue and technical agencies, including the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), Taiping Municipal Council (MPT) and the Public Works Department (JKR).
He said all affected residents had been placed at the temporary relief centre (PPS) at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Matang, coordinated by the Social Welfare Department (JKM).
“We expect the number of victims to increase. Those affected can go directly to the SK Matang PPS for assistance,” he said.
Earlier, the district’s Disaster Management Committee chairman Mohd Nasrul Menhat said the SK Matang PPS was opened at 6.30 pm today following the storm.
-- BERNAMA