KUCHING: A severe thunderstorm that struck Kuching left several places in the city having to deal with floodwaters, fallen trees, structural damage, and power outages, yesterday evening (Jul 27).
Heavy rain and strong winds began around 6.30 pm, affecting several residential areas, including Batu Kawa, where properties were significantly damaged.
In Taman Desa Wira, a double-storey house had major structural failure, with its roof and upper walls collapsing. A fallen tree also crushed the car porch of the residence.
Fallen trees were reported across multiple locations, including Bampfylde Road, where a Sarawak Tribune reporter witnessed firefighters from the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) removing large tree debris from the roadway to ensure public safety and ease of road access.
The storm also resulted in flash floods in various parts of the city.
Notably, Jalan Merdeka, Jalan Pending, and the Kuching Festival grounds at MBKS were flooded, resulting in temporary disruptions to traffic and festival activities.
In addition, blackouts were reported in the Batu Kawa and Matang areas, with many residents experiencing prolonged power outages as utility teams worked to restore supply overnight.
The incident follows a week of extreme heat and haze across Sarawak due to prolonged dry weather.
While the Malaysian Meteorological Department had issued a thunderstorm warning yesterday afternoon for several regions, including Kuching, Serian, Samarahan, Sibu, Mukah, and Bintulu, no new thunderstorm warning has been issued for Sarawak as of 9.40 am today.
