Storm damages nearly 80 houses in Dungun, Kemaman

KUALA TERENGGANU: A storm damaged nearly 80 houses in Dungun and Kemaman yesterday evening.

According to a statement by the Dungun district Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), a total of 52 houses were reported damaged in Bandar Al-Muktafi Billah Shah (AMBS) and Bandar Bukit Besi in Dungun in the incident at about 4 pm.

It said five housing areas in AMBS were affected, namely six houses in Taman Mulia, Taman Indah (13), Taman Abadi (13), Taman Setia (seven) and Taman Madani (11), whereas there were two affected houses in Besol, Bukit Besi.

The statement said the coordinator of the state constituency had dispatched help to affected residents to assist in the process of changing the roofs that had been damaged, and he will submit the full list of the affected houses to the district disaster management committee for further action.

Meanwhile, the State Legislative Assembly member for Air Putih, Ab Razak Ibrahim said a total of 27 houses involving 135 residents in the Cheneh and Felda Neram areas in Kemaman were identified as being affected by yesterday's storm too.

He said the estimated cost of damage to residents' homes, which mostly involved roofs, stood at RM70,000 so far.

According to him, assistance to repair the houses will be contributed by the office of the Air Putih State Legislative Assembly and Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) as well.

-- BERNAMA