ALOR STAR: THE Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is providing 24-hour counselling to more than 100 families affected in three landspout phenomenons in the state recently.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim, said the service was crucial to help victims deal with post-disaster stress.
She said three counsellors from the ministry had been assigned
to the task and the counselling process would continue until
all the victims had recovered
from the aftermath of the disaster.
“We have learnt from the two Malaysia Airlines flights incidents on the significance of counselling in helping victims to cope with the emotional pressure.
“It is important to provide such a service to the tornado victims as they rarely occur in our country,” she said after visiting the victims at Kampung Sungai Nongnang here yesterday.
Rohani handed over essential items and cash aid to 19 affected families of the disaster, which occurred last Wednesday.
Present were Welfare Department director-general Datuk Noraini Mohd Hashim and Women Development Department director-general Datuk Munirah Abdullah Bajanuddin.
Rohani said added that a meeting on the natural disaster to further assist the victims would be conducted today and the department would ensure that prompt action would be taken to help the victims.
Victim Zainul Mustafa, 58, said he would like to thank the ministry department for offering the counselling. and , service as well as assistance.
He said his wife, Che Tom Abdullah, was admitted toat the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital as she was traumatised by the incident and could not found it difficult to sleep.
“My wife is being treated at the hospital as she has lost her appetite and is having trouble sleeping. Personally, the counselling service is very helpful to the victims.” in helping the landspout victims who are still shaken by the disaster,” he said.
Another victim, Yusof Arshad, 78, expressed his gratitude for the assistance given to the villagers.
“Since the incident landspou, help has been pouring in from various agencies and we are grateful.” for the timely aid. It certainly helps to ease our burden,” he said.
On Wednesday, Kedah was struck by a 100kph tornado, on Wednesday, the third such incident in the state. Twenty during this intermonsoon period, destroying 20 homes, including four shops, were destroyed.
The first tornado hit the state Kedah was hit by the first tornado on Oct 14 when heavy rain and strong wind led to a landspout, creating formation which created havoc in Kampung Alor Besar, Pendang, leaving several houses and a school building badly damaged.
This was followed by another tornado here in Alor Star on Oct 31, which destroyed 72 houses in the Mergong and Gunung Keriang areas.
ALOR STAR: Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is providing 24-hour counselling services to more than 100 families affected in three land spout phenomenon in the state recently.
Its minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim pointed out that the service was crucial to help the victims in effectively dealing with the post-disaster stress.
Rohani said for the time being three counsellors from the ministry have been assigned at the affected for the task and the 24-hour counselling service would continue until all the victims were emotionally recovered from the disaster aftermath.
“We have learned from the two ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flights incidents on the significance of counselling services in helping the victims to cope with the emotional pressure caused by the disaster.
“Having said so, it was important to provide such service to the tornado victims as the phenomenon rarely occured in our country,” she said in a press conference after visiting the land spout victims at Kampung Sungai Nongnang here yesterday.
Earlier, Rohani handed over essential items and cash aid to 19 affected family of the disaster which occurred on Wednesday (November 14).
Also present were Welfare Department director-general Datuk Noraini Mohd Hashim and Women Development Department director-general Datuk Munirah Abdullah Bajanuddin.
Rohani added that a meeting on the natural disaster to further assist the victims would be conducted today and the department would ensure that prompt actions would be taken to help the victims.
A victim, Zainul Mustafa, 58, said he thanked the department for offering the counselling service as well as for the assistance.
Zainul said his wife, Che Tom Abdullah, was admitted at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital after she was having sleeping difficulties as she was traumatised following the incident.
“My wife is being treated at the hospital for three days after she lost her appetite and having trouble sleeping.
“Personally, the counselling service is very helpful in helping the landspout victims who were still shaken by the disaster,” he said.
Another victim, Yusof Arshad, 78, expressed his gratitude for the assistance given out to the villagers.
“Since the landspout incident, help had been pouring in from various agencies and we are grateful with the timely aid.
“It certainly helps to ease our burden,” he said.
Kedah was struck by a 100 kph tornado on Wednesday, the third such incident in the state during this intermonsoon period, leaving a trail of destruction on 20 homes including four shops.
Kedah was hit by the first tornado on October 14, when heavy rain and strong winds had led to a landspout formation which created havoc in Kampung Alor Besar, Pendang, leaving several houses and a school building badly damaged.
This was followed by another tornado in Alor Star on October 31, which left the biggest damage involving a total of 72 houses in Mergong and Gunung Keriang area.