KUANTAN: Sixteen houses in Chendor near here were damaged when a whirlwind swept the area on Wednesday.

Most of the houses had zinc and asbestos roofing ripped off, while some had walls destroyed by flying debris.

This is the second such incident in the area this month. On May 2, seven houses were damaged in the neighbouring Cherating area.

Chendor resident Minah Mat Hassan, 60, said she heard a commotion outside her house.

"I saw zinc and branches flying in a circle before hitting my house and trees," she said.
Her neighbour, Sayiros Che Putih, 23, said she was forced to run to Minah's house, as the entire roof of her house was lifted by the strong wind.

"I was concerned for my 18-month-old son's safety. It happened so fast and my wooden home was badly damaged."

Bakery shop owner Hasri Abdul Hamid, 43, said that he lost about RM100,000 when the whirlwind damaged his house-cum-shop and most of the equipment in it.

"My children had to duck under the staircase," he said.

Indera Mahkota division Umno chief Datuk Faisal Abdullah, who presented cash aid to the victims, said that he would ask the welfare department to help villagers in Chendor and Cherating.