SANDAKAN: Seven families in Kg Sim Sim whose homes were damaged by a waterspout received financial aid to help with roof repairs.
Sabah DAP Youth Deputy Chief and Sandakan DAP Youth Chief Tang Szu Ching, representing Sandakan MP Vivian Wong’s team, visited the victims on Tuesday and handed over the assistance after strong winds tore through the water village a day earlier.
The roofs of seven houses along Bridges 3, 4, 5, 10 and 15 were damaged, leaving residents shaken but unharmed. Upon receiving reports of the incident, Wong’s team swiftly gathered details of the affected families and arranged for immediate assistance.
Tang said the financial aid was allocated based on the extent of damage to each house to ensure residents could carry out necessary repairs and protect themselves from further weather-related risks.
The waterspout, which struck around 3.30pm on Monday, sent roofs flying and damaged several houses. The worst-hit house, located at Jambatan 4, Lot 65, suffered severe roof damage, particularly in the kitchen and living room areas.
Two other homes at Jambatan 5 — Lot 87 and Lot 79A — also sustained damage, mainly to their outdoor roofing structures.
Civil Defence Force (APM) personnel and local village leaders were among the first responders at the scene. APM deployed one officer, six personnel and two vehicles to assess the damage and provide assistance.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and while some roofs were blown off, the overall structures of the homes remained intact. Residents also managed to evacuate in time.
