KUANTAN: A loud bang alerted a family to an uprooted acacia tree that crashed onto the roof of their house during a heavy storm at Jalan Bukit Bay Route here yesterday.
The 8pm incident partially damaged the living room, kitchen, and bedroom, causing the ceiling to collapse. The house has since been declared unsafe for occupation.
An occupant, who only wanted to be identified as Erina, 23, said she was inside the house with her parents and an aunt when they heard a loud crash on the roof, followed by parts of the ceiling falling onto the floor.
“The four of us rushed towards the porch but could not run far as it was raining heavily. We were lucky the massive tree did not directly crash onto the roof as it landed on another tree, which helped reduce the impact.
Erina said the impact had weakened the house structure, which was built using a mix of wood and concrete, damaging several wooden walls.
She added that the house, built in the 1970s and belonging to her late grandmother, had never been struck by a falling tree before.
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“The house is surrounded by huge trees, and usually during strong winds, some branches snap and fall, but we have never experienced a tree crashing onto the roof.
“Luckily, all of us were awake and managed to escape unhurt. I am not sure what would have happened if the incident occurred after midnight when we were asleep in the bedrooms,” she said.
Erina said the electricity supply had been disconnected, and her family will move to stay with relatives until repairs could be made.
Her family’s home was among 60 houses damaged during a freak storm accompanied by heavy rain in the state capital yesterday.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
