HOUSES, FACTORY IN PASIR PUTEH COLLAPSE DUE TO EXTRAORDINARY HIGH TIDE

PASIR PUTEH, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- Several houses collapsed, while most of the buildings at a cracker-processing factory in Kampung Dalam Rhu, Pachakan, were also damaged following a high tide phenomenon last night.

The factory owner, Asmalaili Kedah, 43, said the incident occurred at 10.30 pm while she, her husband Hasmizi Admin, 43, and several workers were cleaning up equipment inside the building.

She said that the kitchen of a worker's house, located next to the factory, collapsed two nights ago, and they had to salvage all the equipment, fearing the situation would worsen.

"At that moment, a huge wave suddenly struck, causing the entire workers' house to collapse and be swept away by the waves, while part of the factory building also fell right before our eyes.

"I was shocked and screamed for help for my two workers' children who were still inside the house to escape," she told Bernama today.

Asmalaili said they were fortunate as no one was injured in the incident, but they are still traumatised.

"This is the first time in 14 years of living in this area that such an extraordinary large wave has occurred. It is possible that the same incident will repeat tonight, and that the entire factory and workers' houses will be completely destroyed," she said.

Following the incident, she moved her workers to her house in the same village while they look for alternative accommodation.

Meanwhile, one of the factory workers, Mohd Lokman Mat Nor, 46, said that last week his employer had advised him to move, but at the time, his wife was ill due to uterine cancer.

"I didn’t want to burden my wife, who was unwell, but four days ago she passed away, and two days after her passing, our house was swept away by the waves," he said.

-- BERNAMA