No CNY family reunion dinner for victims of freak storm in Ipoh

The tradition, which is rich in symbolic gestures, has to be forgotten by them as their houses were badly damaged and some even had their roof tiles blown away by strong winds in the incident at about 6 pm.

Even sadder, the situation forced some residents to take shelter at a relief centre in Dewan Tawas while the rest of the victims chose to stay with their relatives.

Ten Chee Kin, 45, when met at the relief centre, said he worked in Kuala Lumpur and had returned home in Kampung Tawas, here, to celebrate Chinese New Year with his relatives and friends but the incident had dampened his spirit to celebrate the festive occasion.

"The roof is completely damaged and needs to be replaced. I don't want to celebrate Chinese New Year or have a reunion dinner, but I just want to take care of the house," he added.

Another resident, Lee Cheng Man, 23, and his mother, Cheah Kim, 58, are now taking shelter in a nearby church temporarily until their house that they have been staying in for 20 years is repaired.

"There is no reunion dinner this evening as all our plans for the Chinese New Year celebration have been ruined because this house, usually, will be a gathering place with relatives.

"However, the most important thing, my mother and I survived the incident although the roof is gone and the house destroyed," he said when met by reporters in Kampung Tawas.

Describing the incident as unfortunate, the Universiti Malaysia Perlis student said all equipment, including his computer, were also destroyed in the storm.

A total of 219 houses were damaged during a tornado-like freak storm Taman Desa Seri Chepor, Kampung Tawas, Taman Tasek Damai and Kampung Seri Klebang Tambahan Jaya, leaving most of the Chinese residents in Kampung Tawas, who will be celebrating Chinese New Year tomorrow, in despair.

Several trees were uprooted while some electric poles collapsed or were damaged. However, no casualties or injuries were reported in the incident.