More than 50 tents damaged due to heavy rain and storms

NILAI - More than 50 traders' tents at Ramadan bazaar here today are damaged due to heavy rain and strong winds.

The incident that occured at about 4.30pm involved 17 tents of the Ramadan bazaar in front of Lotus Supermarket and another 35 tents next to the old McDonald's building in Bandar Baru Nilai.

One of the Ramadan bazaar organiser Syed Alwi Syed Jaafar, 42, said the incident resulted to a loss of approximately RM4,000, that they have to bear, when 17 tents were damaged.

"It has been three years since Surau Sayyidina Ali Taman Semarak Nilai organised the bazaar and this is the second time we are tested with this kind of incident.

"A similar incident had happened a week before Hari Raya Aidilfitri last year and this year it happen during the first day of Ramadan," he told Sinar today.

However, he said he was thankful because there was no casualties reported even though most traders were at the location to prepare to open their stall.

He, who was at the location during the incident, said he had to hold the tent's leg because the wind was too strong and quite scary.

"Thankfully the heavy rain and storm only lasted for about half an hour and they can continue their business operation after that.

"It's a test for us, as organiser, because this is the first time we set up the tents, and out of the 72 tents, 17 were damaged," he said.

Syed said their sadness was cured when they saw lots of visitors coming in on the first day of Ramadan.