ALOR STAR: At least 72 houses in Mergong and Gunung Keriang here were damaged in a span of 15 seconds when a 30kph landspout unleashed its fury yesterday.
The incident comes two weeks after a tornado-like landspout struck a village in Pendang.
No injury was reported in the 4.50pm incident, but Kedahans have been warned that they could face unusual weather for the next two weeks because of monsoonal transition.
Meteorological Department commercial and corporate services division director Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the weather in the northern states had been active in the past couple of days and advised residents to be on high alert.
He said the department’s radar did not detect any formation of large storm cloud prior to yesterday’s incident, which meant that the landspout was a small but intense storm cloud.
The latest landspout, fortunately, did not hit the high-density areas between Taman Mergong Jaya and Taman Inang in Mergong and Kampung Sungai Baru in Gunung Keriang. If not, it could have caused more damage.
Two weeks ago, a number of houses and a school in Kampung Alor Besar, Pendang, were damaged when a tornado-like land spout created havoc following heavy rain and strong winds.
The residents described the phenomenon, which also left some homeless, as among the fiercest in recent years.
Mohd Saad Md Isa, 59, of Kampung Batin, Mergong, said he had never encountered such event.
“I was about to take a nap when I heard a loud thud on the roof.
“Within seconds, the wind ripped off the roof. I could only shout to my wife and grandchildren to seek shelter.”
His neighbour, Sudin Jaafar, 73, who had been living in the village for more than 50 years, said it was the worst disaster he had experienced in recent years.
“I was about to perform the Asar prayers when the wind slammed onto the roof of the porch and kitchen.
“I rushed out and was shocked to see the roof blown off. I was only concerned for my children’s safety.”
Page 1 pic: The landspout in Alor Star, Kedah, yesterday.