Houses damaged by thunderstorm in 5 Malaysian villages

A thunderstorm that hit the Baling district ripped off the roofs of more than 37 houses, a food stall and a Surau in five villages, Malaysia's News Agency Bernama reported. Lanai Village Security and Development Committee chairman Ghazali Morad, 60, said during the thunderstorm, many trees were uprooted and roofs flown away. One of the villagers whose food stall in Kampung Sungai Tembak was damaged, A spokesman said he and his family were fortunate because nobody was hurt when a tree fell on his food stall. The thunderstorm also caused a massive traffic jam when a large tree that fell on the main road between Parit Panjang and Baling and from Kampung Lanai to Kuala Pegang. Vehicles going to Baling town were forced to take a longer route using the Kuala Ketil road to reach Baling, an extra distance of 60km, he said.