SABAK BERNAM: A tailor in Taman Ria, Sekinchan here suffered losses when a storm hit last week, destroying eight bales of cloth and blowing away about 30 completed sets of baju Raya (clothes worn for Hari Raya).

Aidilfitri Aini Shahdan, 48, said the damaged fabric and lost clothes cost her about RM6,800. She said the fabric and some clothes were wet and dirtied after the storm.

"Some customers had already paid a 10% deposit for their orders," she said.

Aini Shahdan said she and her husband, Mohemmed Shukri Chandraneru Abdullah, 49, were not at home when the storm hit as they were picking up their children, who were returning from Singapore, from the KL International Airport (KLIA).

"We were only informed of the incident by a neighbour. "When we got home, we found the roof badly damaged and rainwater had entered the house.

"The ceiling and floor were wet and even the fibreboard walls were starting to crumble," she added. Aini Shahdan they would try to minimise her losses by selling damaged clothes for as little as RM5 to RM50.

Another resident, Norazhar Jamaluddin, 59, said the storm was the worst he had experienced since living in the area since he was 13 years old.

He said the roof of his house was damaged by strong winds causing about RM15,000 in damage.

"The roof was leaking badly and the living room and kitchen were filled with water, causing significant damage," he said at an aid presentation ceremony at Dewan Seri Sekinchan here on Saturday (March 15), Malay language daily Sinar Harian reported.

He said he was grateful as his family was not home when the storm hit. Sekinchan assemblyman Datuk Ng Suee Lim said the Selangor government had allocated RM30,000 in aid, including kitchen items, to 48 families affected by the storm.

He said five families are still at the temporary evacuation centre (PPS) in Dewan Seri Sekinchan. "They are waiting for repair assistance because they cannot afford to repair their damaged houses.

"The state government will try to help so the houses can be repaired as soon as possible and they can return home," said Ng, who is also state local government and tourism committee chairman.

"I ask all residents in Sekinchan to be prepared because this change in weather often brings strong winds. "Make sure items in the house that can be blown away are stored safely," he said.