Whirlwind damages 13 houses in Mergong

At least 13 houses in Taman Wira Mergong here were damaged in a landspout which struck at about 1.15pm.

It is the second landspout to hit the Kota Setar district. The first was two days ago, leaving a trail of destruction in five areas in the district.

Taman Wira Mergong Block E chief, Ahmad Ishak, 60, said it was the third landspout incident to hit the area since two years ago.

"The first time it happened, the weather was the same. The weather fine and then there was a gust of wind. It happened so fast, luckily there was no casualty.

"Today, a similar incident happened and caused serious damage to three houses and damaged the roof of the other houses," he told reporters here today.

He said various quarters, including the Social Welfare Department, had arrived to extend the necessary assistance to the victims.

A witness, Adam Abdullah, 30, said he was outside the house when he heard a loud gust of wind and saw a whirlwind coming from the opposite direction of his house.

"Seeing it ripped off the roof of my neighbour's house, I quickly ran inside my house and got my wife and our one-year-old child to hide under the table," he added.

Jamilah Mard, 20, a banking student at Insaniah University College, said she was at home with four friends and they were in the living room studying.

"Suddenly there was a loud of strong winds and then the roof of the kitchen was blown away," she added.

Last Friday, 71 houses and a rural clinic were destroyed when a landspout hit the Kampung Mergong Hilir, Kampung Batin, Kampung Sungai Baru, Taman Inang and Taman Mergong Jaya at about 5pm.