ALOR STAR: One hundred people in Kedah had been evacuated to relief centres after their homes were flooded following a continuous rainfall since yesterday evening.
Langkawi was the worst affected area with 59 people from 18 families forced to seek temporary shelter at the SMK Kedawang, while another 41 people from 10 families in Kampung Dakwah, Kuala Muda had to be relocated to Surau Kampung Tengah.
A powerful southwest wind pressure triggered the storm which wreaked havoc in Langkawi, damaging at least 10 vehicles after they were hit by uprooted trees along Jalan Pantai Kok.
Roofs of several houses in the area were also blown off.
The storm also forced the authorities to order tour operators on the island to temporarily cease their seaside activities as a precautionary measure.
Kedah Natural Disaster Management Secretariat coordinator Captain (Civil Defence Force) Saifuddin Abdullah as at 6pm today, the number of floods evacuees remained at 100 people.
He said the several hours of heavy rainfall also led to a landslide incident at Taman Permai Utama in Gurun but there was no report of injury.
Kedah Fire and Rescue Department public relations officer Mohamad Mustakim Mukhtar said eight families in Taman Permai Utama had been ordered to evacuate their homes following the landslide incident.
He said the order was issued after firefighters from Guar Cempedak station, who rushed to the scene upon receiving a distress call at about 3pm, inspected the area.
"Upon inspection, it was confirmed that there was a landslide involving a 30m slope behind the terrace houses.
"The eight families have been ordered to evacuate their houses for safety reasons," he said.
It was learnt that the heavy rainfall which lasted for several hours also triggered flash floods in Sungai Petani and Yan, affecting nearly 500 people.