ALOR STAR, Nov 12 — A tornado wreaked havoc when it battered Kampung Sungai Nonang in Simpang Empat Kangkung, damaging at least 25 houses and four shophouses near here, this afternoon.

A Proton Wira was lifted three feet above the ground and slammed against a mango tree while a goat farm was completely flattened, in the wake of its fury.

While 10 houses were badly damaged in the 2.45pm incident, the villagers escaped unhurt although some of them were left traumatised.

The incident is the fourth occurrence of a tornado reported in the state in less than a month.

Kedah Fire and Rescue Investigation assistant director Mohamad Yunus Abu said the department received a call on the incident about 3pm.

Bernama understands victims of the tornado are now putting up with friends and relatives while awaiting assistance from the authorities.

Meanwhile, a victim, Che Tim Ahmad, 54, said she and her two children, Mohamad Azrul Zainal, 14, and Zahirah Zainal, 16, were terrified when a strong wind ripped apart the roof of her house within seconds.

The housewife and the children were unhurt by flying pieces of wood and zinc during the incident.

“All electrical appliances and furniture in the house were drenched in the rain after the storm,” she told Bernama.

Another victim, Nashirah Othman, 30, was hanging clothes outside her house when her husband, Sukri Salleh, 41, shouted to her to get inside after seeing a column of wind approaching them.

“The gust was so strong, we merely held each other for dear life,” she said.

Junaidah Abd Rashid, 39, said she was in a car with her daughter, Ainul Madiah Salim, three, and friend, Rajmah Bakar, 57, when the ‘mini-twister’ swept across the area.

“My car shook as if it was being lifted off the ground and I held my daughter tightly until the wind was no more,” she said.

The Teluk Dulang Kemas Nursery assistant said she saw the wind rock the tables at a food stall before ripping its wooden signboard. — Bernama