Scores of houses and shops and at least 10 vehicles were damaged during a thunderstorm which also saw several trees uprooted in Kuala Terengganu last night.

Dataran Syahbandar was the worst-hit of the 25 areas which were at the mercy of the storm, said Kuala Terengganu City Council assistant director Razali Mohd.

NONE The other areas included Jalan Pejabat, Jalan Sultan Omar, Jalan Batas Baru, Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin, Jalan Sultan Sulaiman, Jalan Sultan Mahmud, Jalan Masjid Abidin, Batu Burok, Kuala Nerus, and Nisan Empat.

“The passenger ferry near Pasar Payang, flower pots and shop canopies at Dataran Shahbandar were badly damaged while the roof of the market was also blown away,” Razali told Bernama today.

He said the city council had embarked on an operation to repair damaged street lights and clean the mess in the aftermath of the storm.

NONE State social welfare department director Zuhami Omar said the department was carrying out a check on the number of houses damaged by the thunderstorm.

Meanwhile, one of the victims of the storm said strong winds, coupled with heavy rain and thunder last night, left her in a state of fright.

Rubiah Ali, 48, said her family was forced to seek shelter at a neighbour’s house when the roof of her house was blown away.

In a later development, Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said has asked assemblypersons in Terengganu to extend aid without delay to victims of the storm that lashed the state last night.

He said it was believed the situation was due to the effect of typhoon Nesat which swept across the South China Sea yesterday.

He wanted houses whose roofs were blown off or damaged to be repaired quickly so that the occupants were sheltered from the elements.

“Total losses has yet to be assessed and we are waiting for the report from the Welfare Department.

“The state goverment will provide special allocations from the disaster fund o help victims,” he told reporters in Kuala Terengganu today.

Kuala Terengganu, Besut and Dungun were the worst hit in the storm which lashed the state at around 8.45pm yesterday.

In Kampung Seberang Takir, the roofs of some 100 houses were blown off in the incident.

Checks by Bernama found Kuala Terengganu City Council and Fire and Rescue Department personnel extending assistance to the victims and clearing debris in the area.

- Bernama