January 31, 2022, 01:18 PM
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Several parts of Ipoh, Malaysia, were hit by abnormally strong whirlwinds just two days before the Lunar New Year, on Jan. 30 evening, local media Bernama and The Star reported.
Guys ini kat Ipoh ya, kat Malaysia. Memang betul2 bala dapat Pemimpin Lebai PAS menteri perosak tu cakap Malaysia tak terkesan dgn perubahan iklim.
— KEEM (@keemmazni) January 30, 2022
Apa lah nasib ya. pic.twitter.com/9rKo6deKoD
The freak storm -- a storm that happens under unusual circumstances -- damaged hundreds of houses in two residential areas and uprooted trees, according to Bernama.
The storm also blew away roof tiles and caused electricity poles to collapse, The Star reported.
Ribut taufan/puting beliung kat Tasek, Ipoh. Keep your prayers for my uncle n his family ye ❤️ *I'm at the scene now but useless 😭 pic.twitter.com/uk6Qhgf0Ym
— Ezaq (@dzafriezakie) January 30, 2022
Hit by a "tornado"
Some residents in the affected areas described the experience as being hit by a "tornado", The Star reported.
Social media users also likened the strong winds to tornadoes, though such weather phenomenons are highly uncommon in Malaysia.
A housewife who has lived in the area for about 50 years told The Star she had "never seen anything like this before".
A 71-year-old woman who was cooking at the time of the incident said she heard noises that sounded like firecrackers, and saw roof tiles and awnings flying off when she looked out of the window.
According to her, the electricity supply was cut after a short while.
She added that it would be tough to hire help for repair works as most people are preparing to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
A food vendor told Bernama he was thankful that 10 customers and some of his workers at his shop managed to escape when the roof collapsed.
He said it was his first time in 10 years witnessing such a "bad storm", which had damaged all his equipment.
No injuries reported thus far
A spokesperson for the state's Fire and Rescue Department said no injuries were reported thus far, though they are still monitoring the affected areas.
Meanwhile, Ipoh's city councillor said the community hall in one of the affected areas has been opened for residents seeking shelter.
He added that he had requested the welfare department to send mattresses to the community hall, and asked the electricity company to restore the electricity supply "as soon as possible".
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