CHUKAI: Sixteen residents from five families in Kampung Geliga Baru spent an anxious night, fearing for the safety of their homes after they were battered by powerful waves from the high tide and strong winds last night.
One of the homeowners, Ibrahim Zakaria, 67, shared that he and two other family members were forced to evacuate to the Balai Raya Geliga Pantai Temporary Relief Centre (PPS) after several sections of the walls and roof of their house were blown off during the storm.
Ibrahim said the area behind his kitchen was also severely eroded by waves over two metres high.
“My house is often affected by erosion during large waves in the monsoon season. But I’ve never seen waves this big in my 30 years here.
“They were rolling in as if they were going to swallow our houses,“ he said when met at the Balai Raya Geliga Pantai PPS.
Ibrahim said he is still waiting for the waves to subside so he can assess the condition of his home.
“My house is an old wooden structure, and every year it faces the waves, waiting for the day it will collapse. Right now, we are forced to stay in the community hall in a nearby village because the hall in our village is no longer safe,“ he said.
Another resident, Juliana Ariffin, 45, shared that her family was forced to move to the PPS around 7.30 pm last night after their house shook from the impact of the waves late in the evening.
Juliana explained that she did not have time to save any valuables as the safety of their four children was the priority.
“My husband could only recite prayers as we escaped,“ she said.
“This morning, my husband returned to check the condition of our house. There was sand and debris all over the floor. And the five houses behind ours have all collapsed due to erosion and the pounding waves.
“We are very worried about where we’ll live if our house faces the same fate,“ she said.
Meanwhile, Terengganu Meteorological Office director, Rosli Zakaria, said the wind speed recorded in Kuala Terengganu is currently around 25 km/h, compared to the usual 10 to 20 km/h during the Northeast Monsoon.
“Last night, wind speeds reached up to 40 km/h. This poses significant risks to anyone in coastal areas.
“Therefore, I urge the public to stay away from the coastline due to the risks of falling trees and collapsing structures,“ he added.
