GEORGE TOWN, Feb 16 — Customers at a supermarket in Bandar Baru Air Itam here ran helter-skelter to save themselves after the roof of the two-storey supermarket was blown off by a tornado yesterday.
A Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) spokesman said they were alerted about the incident at 2.45pm and the first fire engine arrived at the scene about five minutes later.
“As soon as we arrived, people were seen gathering outside the supermarket and most were in a state of shock and panic as they thought the building would collapse,” he told reporters here yesterday.
He said there were no casualties reported as the roof blown off by the tornado fell in an area adjacent to the supermarket.
A customer, Teh Sim Chong, 43, said that during the incident, he was selecting items in the frozen food area when the mishap occurred.
“At first I heard the sound of strong winds, followed by a loud bang as if the building would collapse. At the same time, people began running helter-skelter.
“I also dashed out of the supermarket because I was worried that the building might collapse. Then only I found out that roof of the building (the supermarket) had been blown away by a tornado. Lucky no one was injured in the incident,” he added. — Bernama
