Kota Kinabalu: Strong winds believed to be the tail effects of Tropical Storm Lan blowing at speeds of 40kph caused mayhem across the State, blowing off rooftops, damaging homes as well as buildings and uprooting trees.However, nobody was reported hurt in any of the incidents. A huge portion of the Customs Department roof near Jesselton Point was blown off around 2.05pm.
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The impact caused the interior of the premises to be drenched in heavy rain. An uprooted tree was also reported to have fallen over two vehicles, a Dmax and a Rav4 plying Jalan Kopungit.
The drivers, a 25-year-old and a 57-year-old, were said to be heading towards the city centre when both men were stopped in their tracks by the uprooted tree and falling branches. Firefighters helped in clearing the trees. The winds also blew away plastic road barriers in many places where roadworks were going on. One of them placed along the road to warn motorists of a hole in Sinsuran, near the Alliance Bank, was blown away resulting in a doctor, in his 70s, driving his car straight into the hole.
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In Jalan Penampang Lama outside Taman Mon't Tiara, an electric pole tilting dangerously close to the road got motorists and residents worried for their safety. "The stress on the live cable (pole) will anytime break it, endangering life, total power failure for the whole area," said one resident.
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"(Despite) knowing the danger, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd engineer still allow the Public Works Department to continue digging and reconstructing the retaining wall in this heavy rain season. "Is this wise, or allowing a manslaughter incident to happen?" questioned a concerned resident in social media. - Jimmy Goh
