GEORGE TOWN: Former farmer Osman Abbas was enjoying an afternoon nap at his home at Padang Menora when he was awakened by a storm on Thursday.

There was little the 81-year-old man could do as strong winds blew away the entire roof of his wooden house.

"The storm came suddenly, and within minutes, my house was left without a roof.

"There was nothing I could do," lamented Osman, who was alone in his house then.

He lives with his eldest son.
To make matters worse, the heavy rain that followed damaged most of his belongings.

Yesterday, Osman was among 31 families, all victims of the storm, who received RM500 each from the state government.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who visited Osman and the other victims, handed over the money.

Lim said the money, from the Yang Dipertua Negeri Disaster Fund, would help the affected families meet their immediate needs.

"We are concerned with the safety of the victims,"

He said the state Welfare Services Department would also compile details of the affected families to facilitate additional assistance.

The storm also wreaked havoc in nine villages.

Lim had earlier visited the victims in Padang Menora, Padang Cempedak and Jarak Atas.

The villages affected by the storm, which lasted about five minutes, were in Padang Cempedak, Padang Menora, Kampung Chegar, Jarak Atas, Pokok Tampang, Jarak Tengah, Permatang Berangan, Kampung Matahari Naik and Kampung Permatang Batu.

Scores of trees in the villages were also uprooted by the storm.